Daylesford Summer Dispatch - Sunday, 8th November 2026

 
For Wes

We started our week with a lovely visit to the Daylesford Market, where Morse polished off the pear that Ken had cut up for him. Yvonne wasn't feeling wonderful, but enjoyed having a pat & chat with Morse, while I stocked up with goodies. Later that morning we went back to Acute Care at Daylesford Hospital, where yet another kind & caring nurse, Chris, changed my dressing & assured me it was going well. Not all the skin has knitted back together yet, so we'll be doing changes of dressing a few more times I suspect.

Wes got out into the backyard with his new toy & got rid of some more of the triffids that had grown with all this recent rain. And I picked some pink & purple roses for the vase at the front door. 

Wes took this lovely photo of me in the grounds of the Convent last Saturday as we were leaving. And yes, it was misty and wet

On Monday, the rain waited until Wes & Morse had walked and then put the street bins out, before coming down. It was gentle and refreshing, although all the extra visitors to Daylesford didn't appreciate it. So many people take the Monday before Cup Day as a holiday as it gives them a 4 day weekend, and lots of them came here and stayed over. 

For all of you who were kind enough to ask, here is Jane wearing her completed sweater - she did most of the knitting - I did a sleeve and the Fair Isle neck

Later that morning, I had a wonderful remedial massage with Sarah Hunt, who worked her way around my wounded forearm. Wes had hoped to get back into the garden, but the rain persisted, so he caught up with computer stuff instead. The Daylesford Rotary Art Show was on all weekend, and we thought back to when we took on the running of it, in 2010, and how much we learned in the three years we spent at the helm. It would have been impossible without all the Rotarians who gave so much of their time & expertise to make sure it was a success.

We had a lovely Cup Day. While Wes walked Morse, I chatted with my aunt, Jeff, in Lincolnshire and we exchanged info on our ailments as much as anything else! Then I caught up with my sister, Leanne, who had done a Cup Sweep and was very excited about the race. Wes baked a beautiful rainbow trout for lunch and opened a bottle of Cofield Sparking Shiraz to go with it. While the meal was cooking he served Pimms cocktails - so refreshing & exotic & old-fashioned.

More vegetables than we could eat!

Between us, we had chosen 5 horses for the race and decided not to have any other bets, but put these in a box Quinella & Trifecta. Sadly we didn't win either bet, but were very happy to see Point of Law win well with a great ride by Ethan Brown. Robbie Williams provided the pre-Cup and post-racing entertainment and was worth every penny he cost. Such a professional and generous person with his time & effort. We love him Down Under and he seems to really enjoy his visits.

On Wednesday, after Wes walked Morse, and I chatted with Jan Pengilley in Maleny, where we discussed the 70th Anniversary of TV in Australia and some of the shows we are happy to keep watching, it was time for our next visit to Acute Care to have the bandage changed. The nurse on duty thought it was healing well, and suggested we return tomorrow for another inspection, clean, and a fresh bandage.

We were so relieved to see a bloom on our standard Glorious - it was severely damaged by a storm in Winter, but has come back to life

After a break of 6 weeks, Terry Borg & I enjoyed catching up again on WhatsApp - we had each been forced to cancel a fortnightly chat, and there was plenty to discuss. Then we headed back to Springs Medical as I had fluked an appointment with my GP, James Smith. We updated him on our visit to the respiratory specialist, who had also sent a report; checked on my latest x-ray; arranged for the 2027 Care Package, and put ourselves on the waiting list for the latest pneumonia vaccine. Finally, he gave me a tetanus injection, as my last had been in 2008. 

We had intended to have some bets on Oaks Day, but life intervened and we postponed our tips until yesterday, the last day of the Carnival, which used to be the poor relation, but now boasts three Group One races, and has been retitled Champion Stakes Day.

Two glimpses in the front garden - mauve rhododendron & Golden Beauty roses 

On Friday, Wes & Morse were able to walk, although it was cool early. Then I chatted with Leanne, and we discussed the Cup Carnival - the horses, jockeys & the Fashions on the Field. I was relieved to have a free morning after that and did a few chores in town, including giving my latest crop of beanies to the Community Op-Shop, who were delighted. Wes worked hard in the back yard, which is looking better each time he cuts down weeds & trims extravagant growth.

Yesterday was wet, but Morse & Wes had their walk before the storms hit. We spent the day watching the races, where there were a few scratchings because of the wet track. We had simple 
Win & Place bets and ended up about $20 down, although we enjoyed all the races, even though Tempted, which had beaten Ka Ying Rising in the Everest was unplaced at his first start in Victoria. Sadly, the Carlton AFLW team was outclassed by North Melbourne in wet conditions at Princes Park. They have a double chance, and like Geelong, will play again next weekend.

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 1st November 2026

 
Charlie Brown's been listening to Snoopy!

Last Sunday was very wet - the perfect day to worry about Morse! He wouldn't eat or drink until late afternoon, when he sipped some water. We kept giving him the antibiotics & anti-nausea tablets, and he seemed very happy to go to sleep in his bed in the lounge, where he stayed overnight.

When we woke on Monday, having checked frequently that he was still breathing & comfortable, he seemed pleased to hear the alarm at 6.30am and wanted his harness put on. Wes took him to Daylesford Cemetery for a short walk, and then they put out the street's bins together. When Morse came inside, he finally had a good drink of water, and although he wasn't interested in his usual breakfast, tucked into some dry dog food that I always have on hand for emergencies. Such a relief! 

I went and did the shopping and various other chores, including posting Jane Knox's completed Fair Isle jumper, that I finished knitting before my arm was wounded. I had been able to sew it up on Sunday, and was pleased to get in the post back to her.

First roses of Spring - not a lot but the perfume is magical

Meanwhile, Wes received the sad news that one of his schoolfriends, Geoff Dillon, had died in palliative care on Saturday. Wes was glad to have been in touch with him via texts during the week before he died. That afternoon, he had a welcome catch up chat with old friend, Terry Larkins, and they discussed politics very broadly. 

On Tuesday, Morse was a little better, and Wes took him for another walk which he enjoyed. I had a Zoom chat with Leanne and let her know what had happened. Then it was time for my annual eye check up with Sarah Bibby at George & Matilda Eyecare in Vincent Street. I spent 40 minutes with her and was delighted to get a good report as my eyes had barely changed in the past 12 months. 

That night, when I went to sleep, it seemed that the South Africans were invincible in Cape Town, and I was relieved to discover the next morning that we had bowled them all out for 329. Starc took 6 wickets, which was wonderful. We are still amazed that Scott Boland was dropped for this Test after taking 5 wickets & scoring 40 runs as the night watchman in the second Test.

Morse was definitely better on Wednesday morning, and was happy to eat his usual breakfast food. He still slept for much of the day, but his eyes were brighter & he was more responsive. We had hoped to travel to Sandringham for Pam Mitchell's Celebration of Life, but, apart from not wanting to leave Morse for 6 hours+, I had to attend the Urgent Care section at Daylesford Hospital to have my wound inspected and dressing changed. Both the nurse and on duty doctor were pleased with the progress, and we go back again this morning for another inspection.

After chatting with Old Friends - Kathy & Karen S on Thursday morning, we were getting ready to drive to Ballarat when there was a knock on the door. Rob Griffin had arrived with a lovely bunch of baby gladioli for me - much to the delight of Morse, who wore himself out in excitement! 

We had a good run to the Ballarat Base Hospital, where we were guided to Grampians Health by a friendly volunteer, who used to teach at Hepburn Primary School. The receptionist was friendly and helpful, and Dr Gerardo saw us about 5 minutes after our appointment time. He was very focussed and explained as much as he could about bronchiectasis. He is referring me for chest physio at the hospital, ordered a blood test, and has put me on a waiting list to have a camera sent down to inspect my lungs more closely. We couldn't have been happier with the service offered.

When we arrived back home, we woke Morse up, as he had fallen asleep after exhausting himself with Rob. I went next door to visit Glen, who had also been in Ballarat that morning seeing a specialist and we swapped information. Meanwhile, Wes enjoyed  a good WhatsApp catch up with Maureen & Graeme Dean, who live in Hepburn. 

Morse that afternoon enjoying the sunshine & looking much more like his happy self

On Friday, after chatting with Leanne, I had a blood test at Springs Medical, and did a few more chores. Wes spent the morning in the garden, and enjoyed chatting with the lovely owners of #77 Duke Street. They have the house on AirBnB, but are very careful about who they let rent it, and we haven't had any problems at all with their short-term tenants. They keep the garden looking good & I'm sure the house is the same. They are grateful to us for putting out their bins, which is such an easy thing to do for someone else.

Yesterday, Wes & Morse fitted in a walk before the rain came down. We decided to go to Bad Habits café for brunch and were given the table for two in the quiet parlour, where Marija joined us for a catch up chat. Brunch was spectacular - we can't fault the meals or staff here and always feel very cared for when we visit. While we waited for our meals, we consulted the form guide for Derby Day and made our selections.

About to tuck into French toast & poached eggs with smoked salmon & mushrooms

A crowd of 88,000+ turned up at Flemington for Derby Day and there were some stunning black & white outfits as well as excellent racing. We had a few collects, but were down $30 on the day. The cricket was at an interesting stage when we turned out the lights. We had dismissed the Proteas for 387 in their second innings, which left us with a total of 288 to win on the final day. Sadly we collapsed to be all out for 111, with Nathan Lyon the top scorer on 33 not out. Congratulations to the Proteas.

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 25th October 2026

 

We had a quiet Sunday to start our week, both of us tired after the trip to Strathmore. Both our AFLW teams lost to better sides, but there was cricket - the women just beat New Zealand in a T20 in Sydney, and the men got off to a flying start in a very rain-affected first day, when Scott Boland took 2 wickets for 5 runs, which left the South Africans 2/20 at stumps. 

On Monday, which was another beautiful Spring day - Wes & Morse had a good walk around Daylesford Cemetery, before I did the shopping at Coles, Baker's Delight, Tonna's, the pharmacy & filled the car up with petrol. That was enough for me for the day, but Wes spent the morning in the front garden, and his new toy, which does just about everything, was put to good use, slashing the overgrown grass & shrubs.

Glimpses in the garden this week including our first rose!

Once again, there was very little cricket that night in Gqeberha, as the rain came down again. Boland took another 2 wickets & the South Africans were 5/97 at stumps.

On Tuesday, I had an early WhatsApp chat with my aunt, Jeff, in Lincolnshire, followed by a catch up with my sister, Leanne, in Strathmore. Meanwhile, Wes had enjoyed a busy afternoon & evening the day before chatting with Barbara in NZ; Helen in Lower Plenty, and, finally Libby in Bern & Gary in Maribyrnong.

Then we tackled our bedroom with the vacuum cleaner - shifted all the furniture and hoovered up world record amounts of dog hair & fluff. Hopefully, breathing will be a bit easier after that. 

In the evening we switched channels between the men & women's cricket - South Africa got on top of us with a vengeance, declaring at 9/425 with their captain, Temba Bavuma making 179 hard-won runs, and having us 1/3 at stumps. The women won easily, by 40 runs in the second T20 against NZ.

Morse besotted with the cricket!

The next morning, I was well enough to play Mah Jong with Judi. She very kindly got there early, secured a table and bought the Jasmine teas for us. We had a fun time - I seemed to win a few more games, but we were fairly even, and she was usually fishing when I went Mah Jong. Meanwhile, Wes did his excellent vacuuming & washing of floors, as well as the decking, so I came home to a very clean house.

That night the South Africans took charge, and when we were dismissed for 99, forced us to follow on. We were 4/156 still trailing by 170 runs with one day to play. 

Wes headed to Essendon on Thursday morning for a St Bernard's Old Boys catch up lunch that he had organised. 18 turned up and enjoyed spending time with each other & comparing ailments. Meanwhile, I was able to join Kathy, Joyce & Karen S for our weekly Old Friends WhatsApp chat, and lasted 35 minutes, which was very pleasing. Much of our chat centred around the ABC Top 100 Australian books. I had entered 10 titles & 7 of them made it. As well, I was able to share the photo below, from 1997, which Wes turned into an Impressionist painting with the help of AI. 

Another old friend, Cheryl Metcalfe, & I enjoying time together

That night, South Africa bowled us out for 295 with Head making 121, and Scott Boland doing a great job as night watchman, making his highest score ever of 40. We fell 31 runs short of matching their first innings total - quite a comprehensive victory!

On Friday, we had invited Rob & Dene (our previous neighbours at #80) and Glen, (our current neighbour at #760 for morning tea. It was weeks since we had all seen each other and we enjoyed a lovely catch up. Wes went to Blake's (a small independent grocer) early and came home with some wonderful goodies - maple-smoked Canadian salmon; grandmother ham; triple brie; semi-dried tomatoes & grilled capsicum. He also visited Baker's Delight & bought a wonderful garlic, onion & sesame seed sourdough baguette, which went perfectly. We had put a bottle of Cofield Sparkling Shiraz in the fridge the minute we had made the date, and it went down well too. Rob & Dene arrived with bunches of fresh herbs, home-made marmalade & bottled plums, which are much appreciated.

Dene & Glen in conversation above & Morse chatting to Rob below

It was fish & chips night at our place, and after we had enjoyed them, we joined many other people around Australia in lighting a candle at 8pm & devoting 15 minutes to thinking about Federal Independent MP, Helen Haines, who is in hospital recovering after being pinned up against her car by an unhappy constituent. She has lost both her legs, and is in a serious, but stable condition.

The next morning, we were shocked when Morse couldn't get out of bed, and didn't want to have breakfast, not even a drink of water. We were able to get him in to see Andrew, our vet, at 9.30am and discovered he had picked up an infection and would recover after being bombarded with antibiotics. 

As Wes was picking Morse up from my arms to take him to the vet, his metal watchband dug a long cut into my left arm. We quickly bandaged it and I sat quietly recovering from the shock. Once Morse had returned home and had swallowed his first tablets, we went to the Daylesford Hospital Urgent Care section & were seen by a very compassionate nurse, Jascent, who cleaned up the wound, and after consulting the doctor, put some mini bandage strips to help the skin close back together. She suggested I come back early this week and she will check the wound and replace the bandage. 

We had planned to spend a very quiet day watching the Cox Plate and did just that, but without having any bets as we weren't in the right frame of mind.

Morse & I hopefully on the mend

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 18th October 2026

 
No doubt it would!

Last Sunday was a beautiful day - after the Market, we came home to a quiet morning reading the Sunday Age and catching up on computer work. In the afternoon, the Carlton AFLW side played very well to defeat Sydney up there and climb into 4th position. Afterwards we watched the second ODI, where Bangladesh managed to score 6/220 - on the back of an excellent century by Sobhana & 78 not out from Joty. Australia cruised to 1/222 in the 29th over, with Georgia Voll scoring an unbeaten 131.

We finished the evening with Day 3 of the 1st Test against South Africa, where they scored 284 in their first innings, leaving them 106 runs behind Australia, who were 0/33 at stumps. We were all relieved that Nic Maddinson had scored some runs after his duck in our first innings. Steve Smith was the hero in the field with 4 catches, three of which were incredible.

On Monday it was too wet to walk, but Wes & Morse put out the bins for the street, and I headed to Coles Supermarket for the usual weekly shop. Back home, we enjoyed our feta & spinach Danish for breakfast, then I went back to Tonna's, the pharmacy, and That Bargain Place to replenish all the other items that we needed. Wes worked on a power point presentation that he intends to give to the VicGum User Group at the end of the month.

I was out in the garden with Morse, so Telstra Boy hid under the tree fern, waiting for cashews

That night, Australia batted well and declared at 6/314 - the hero with the bat was Matt Renshaw again. At stumps, South Africa was 4/102 - 319 runs behind. 

We had a busy morning on Tuesday - after I chatted with Leanne, it was time to join the queue at Ticketek to buy reserved seats for the Boxing Day Test. Even though there were more than 1,000 people ahead of me, I got through quickly and had my 4 reserved seats secured & paid for in 14 minutes - a record!

Then we went to Springs Medical - firstly to see a young nurse, Sophie, who took my blood pressure, oxygen levels, and an ECG, which she declared was perfect. Next was the appointment with our GP, Dr James, who confirmed that I have bronchiectasis, for which there is no cure. We agreed to try some medications to relieve the symptoms, and I booked in for a chest x-ray. As well, he has referred me to Ballarat Health to see a respiratory specialist to confirm his diagnosis and suggest ways of minimising the discomfort caused by frequent coughing. 

Beautiful sunset over Daylesford

That night, Australia won the 1st Test quite easily with Hazlewood taking his best figures ever - 6 wickets for 49 runs. However, the star was Matt Renshaw with his two high scores plus 2 wickets. We remember him in his first Test, also against South Africa, at the Adelaide Oval in 2016, where he made 44 runs as a very young man. 

On Wednesday, I was able to have an overdue fringe trim with Kirsty at Hair & Beauty, before collecting my new medications and starting the latest treatment schedule. Once again, I joined the queue at Ticketek to get reserved seats for the 150th Test against England in March next year. I was very successful and now have undercover seats in the 50-year Member bay for Days 1-4.

Morse helping us watch the cricket!

On Thursday, I was able to join the Old Friends WhatsApp group & catch up with Kathy & Joyce. Joyce had some wonderful photos of her grand-daughter, Genevieve's 21st birthday party, as well as some stunning ones of her own handiwork. Meanwhile, Wes caught up with the Jackson Group, where they discussed the impact of growth in computer data centres. At lunchtime, Wes & Morse drove me to Daylesford Hospital to have my chest x-rays.

The next morning, Wes joined me in a short WhatsApp chat with Jan Pengilly in Maleny, Qld, where the temperature was 13℃, the sky leaden & Jan was rugged up! We had an excellent catch up, discussing bridge and walks in Japan among the main topics. Then I went to visit Sarah Hunt for a long overdue massage. I had been unable to see her for my regular appointment & she managed to fit me in, for which I was very grateful. 

When I came home, I discovered that Peter Mitchell had been ringing me to let us know that his wife, Pam, had died peacefully that morning after a short stay in palliative care. We shared some wonderful times with Pam, Pete & their daughter, Louisa, and will miss Pam very much. She & I messaged frequently about footy & cricket, and we have always admired her bravery in coping with the tough things life threw at her. 

One of our favourite photos of Pam & Pete

Yesterday was Caulfield Cup - usually we have a few bets & spend our time watching the races, but we were due to visit Leanne and decided not to worry about having hasty bets. Our visit was excellent - Leanne was in good form & pleased to see us. We shared an apple log from Baker's Delight, before I picked some roses from her garden, and helped change the doona cover. Meanwhile, Wes did a few things on her desktop, which was very slow and managed to get it back to normal after doing some disk clean-ups.

That afternoon, Wes collected David Hall from Hepburn House, and took him to the Farmers Arms, for the monthly session of Politics in the Pub. That went well & he arrived home in time to see Kingswood win the Cup with a blistering run at the very end. Sadly two horses fell and one, Ohope Wins, had to be put down. 

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 11th October, 2026

This week started very quietly. Wes & Morse walked, did the Market shopping and brought it home for me to put away. That was enough activity for me and I went back to bed to cough & splutter & blow my nose, hoping it would soon be over. That afternoon, the Collingwood AFLW team was beaten by 21 points by Melbourne, one of the best teams. There is light at the end of the tunnel for us. Meanwhile, the Carlton women are playing out of their skins and beat Hawthorn in appalling conditions at Princes Park. 

On Monday I cancelled or postponed everything for the next three days in the hope that I would start to improve once the antibiotics, which have caused this, finished. My doctor, James, thought this was the best way to flush out the lung cavities, a condition called  bronchiectasis if I understood him correctly. It was a lovely day, and Wes was able to potter around in the back garden. Now that Glen's pine has gone and there is so much more light, he is finding it easier to clear ivy from the metal fence we share.

Beautiful red camellia & tree fern under the decking

The birds haven't given up on me. Both the magpies & the King parrots come frequently to the sliding door leading to the decking, and sing or whistle to me to give them cashews, which they love. Some birds are slow and some are shy when I strew the lawn with oats, seeds & nuts, so I am very sympathetic to them. 

Later in the week, Wes took me shopping at Coles supermarket, at Baker's Delight, and then at Tonna's, so we are up to date with all our food needs. I had cancelled my Thursday WhatsApp chats as I still couldn't speak without coughing, but decided to try and chat with Leanne on Friday, as it was a fortnight since we had spoken. When we did catch up, I was pleased to discover that her support worker, Bec, had changed her holiday dates & Leanne had been seeing her regularly.

Four of the six King Parrots who regularly appear to eat cashews on our decking

Telstra Boy doing the same after the parrots have finished

On Thursday morning, Wes drove to Bendigo to visit our friend, Cliff Talbot. It was a perfect day for a drive and everywhere would have looked beautiful with all the Spring blooms out. Our camellias are still flowering, the lavender & lilacs are looking & smelling lovely, and we still have the roses to come. Wes arrived home very happy with his visit. He & Cliff had enjoyed a very good chat, and he had dropped in on John Hungerford in Campbells Creek on the way home, only to discover John had left for Queensland that day.

Meanwhile, there is progress at #80, where James & Yoko's carport is finally underway. The concreters arrived at 7am and worked hard until early afternoon. The next step is Powercor, after a couple of weeks, to put the electricity underground, and by October, there should be a carport. 

On Friday, there was cricket to watch - first the women playing an ODI against Bangladesh (their first visit to Australia) at Allan Border Oval in Brisbane. Our team played well, bowling the visitors out for 166 & matching the target in their 25th over. Then the men were playing their first Test against South Africa in Durban, where the South Africans bowled very well and had us 6/187 at stumps.

Yesterday I popped into Daylesford Library to collect a book and discovered there were at least a dozen cars in our little street. It was not easy to get in or out - more like a Christmas or Easter crowd than a weekend in October. Our AFLW team played against St Kilda, in a game that celebrated our first 100-gamer, Sabrina Frederick. Her father flew over from the UK to watch her live for the very first time. Sadly, we lost by 2 points in a close, thrilling game, but the Saints won their first match, which was their last under their popular coach, Nick dal Santo.

Wendy Owen contacted us to let us know that her husband, Roberto, had died. He had inoperable brain cancer & had been in palliative care for some time. We are very sorry for Wendy - Roberto was the love of her life, and they spent about 20 years together, the last 10 here in Victoria where they were married in 2016 at Point Lonsdale. 

Last night, Matt Renshaw played the game of his life to score 190 & give Australia a good chance in the first Test. Our score of 390 was much better than we could have expected on Day 1, and South Africa is 1/27 at stumps. Can't wait for tonight's play to see how our bowlers go. 

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 4th October 2026

Joe overusing metaphors 🤣🤣

Last Sunday, I walked to Flinders Street Station from my hotel, immediately caught a train to Southern Cross and was able to board to 9am Bendigo train, which delivered me an hour or so later to Woodend, where Wes & Morse were waiting for me. Morse was very relieved to see me, and Wes confessed that he hadn't created breakfasts the way Morse prefers them, but thought he had gotten dinners right!

We arrived back to a busy Daylesford, with hundreds of cars parked around the Sunday Market. I unpacked, then had a late breakfast of tea & toast, before sitting down with the weekend papers & the GF replay. In the afternoon, the Collingwood AFLW won their first game of the season, with an exciting come from behind win at Victoria Park over GWS.

On Monday, we were back to normal - both of us walked Morse, then we pumped mineral water at Leitches Creek, before Wes & Morse put out the bins for the street, and I headed to Coles for the weekly shop, returning with an apple scroll for me and a coffee scroll for Wes. After breakfast, I went back out to get some stuff at Tonna's and delivered foil packaging to Bloom's the Chemist. 

Meanwhile, Wes grabbed an empty green bin, and filled it with weeds & clippings from the front garden. We are very lucky - there are still some daffodils flowering, as well as hyacinths, and our daphne hasn't died off yet. We're enjoying being able to see into Glen's beautiful garden at the back, especially her weeping cherry, which is in blossom. Morse is delighted with the added exposure and will no doubt let everyone know if there is anyone in her back yard. 

And then everything changed! I woke at 2.30am on Tuesday feeling very unwell, and have been in bed ever since. I suspect the intensive antiobiotics have been to blame, as I have symptoms of bronchial asthma with lots of coughing, nose-blowing & phlegm to cope with. We're hopeful that after the course finishes tomorrow, I might go back to normal.

Wes has been wonderful, as usual. I get up with him each morning, get Morse's breakfast ready & feed the birds. Meanwhile he was been walking Morse, looking after me, and keeping the house clean & tidy. I've not been very hungry - vegemite toast in the mornings & steamed fish at night with a vegetable or two. We've had lots of good rain, which now seems to have finished for a while, and the garden is looking much better for it.

Obviously I have cancelled everything I had planned this week, including chats, Mah Jong & attending David Reilly's 80th yesterday afternoon. Wes went along & enjoyed catching up with lots of friends, some of whom no longer live here in Daylesford, but travelled some distance to be there. He's also chatted with Terry Larkins, and Barbara Simpson, and participated in a Jackson Group session devoted to the three members who have died recently. As well, he participated in the Family Tree Maker User Group, where he often picks up good hints & help.

I found voting for the Best 100 Australian Books last month made me nostalgic for books I had enjoyed many years ago, but not read recently. I have made a start by devouring "A Horseman Riding By" the wonderful trilogy by R F Delderfield about a Devonshire farming community; followed up by "God is an Englishman". I then read "All The Rivers Run" by Nancy Cato, based on the story of the first female riverboat captain in the 1900s. Now I'm crying my way through "My Fortunate Life" by A B Facey, which traces his very tough beginnings & gives an insight into the way children were thought of & treated in the late 1800s-early 1900s. 

Daylesford Grand Final Dispatch - Sunday, 27th September 2026

 
Still relevant 30 years later!

We found last Sunday too hot for comfort, with the temperature reaching 25℃ in the afternoon. We had to use our air-conditioners for the first time in months, and were very relieved when Monday had a top of 11℃, although the wind was icy. We set off for our usual walk and just as we turned out of Duke Street, the rain started. We kept driving and it kept getting heavier, so we gave Morse a trip around Daylesford and brought him back here for breakfast. He helped Wes put out the bins, and got a bit of a run around the street instead.

I had lots of food shopping to do, as well as pharmacy items, library books to return & collect, and Turkish sea-salt sour dough bread to buy when it was cool enough to be sliced. I had ordered a 4.5mm circular needle to knit the yoke of a Fair Isle jumper that Jane Knox had started and wasn't able to finish. She posted the back, front & a sleeve to me and I had knitted the second sleeve and joined the raglan edges. I had plenty of circular needles, but not one long enough to cope with 240 stitches. Of course, 4.5mm is the most popular size and I had to order it from interstate, which meant it took about 10 days to arrive. 

Meanwhile, Wes needed a new whipper-snipper and went to the local Stihl premises to get some advice. He was successful in getting the advice, but decided $500+ was too much to pay, and found a similar article online for $390. It should arrive in a couple of weeks.

We were shocked to read of the death of another Daylesford friend - Brian Smith. He went into hospital for treatment and didn't come out. We have spent some happy times in the past with Brian and his wife, Liz, and were very sorry he has died. He was a lovely man and will be missed.

Great photo of Brian

On Tuesday, after chats with my aunt, Jeff, in Lincolnshire, and my sister, Leanne, in Strathmore, I visited Springs Medical to catch up with our GP, Dr James, and find out what the report from the specialist said after my spirometry test. We were both annoyed to discover that no report had been sent in the month since I was tested. James prescribed another course of antibiotics to clear up the bronchial issues, and was on the phone to Manse Medical as I left his room. 

We were able to walk Morse again on Wednesday morning before I visited Muffins & More to play Mah Jong with Judi. We had a fun time, with honours even at the end. I managed to play a hand I had never tried before - Robin - it is in the book, but without a picture to guide you, and I was quite pleased to master it. 

Meanwhile, Mick, the air-conditioner specialist, visited us to see if he could work out what was causing water to drip from the unit. He tried a couple of things, but no water has been dripping - isn't it always the way! We'll wait until it gets hot and we need to use the unit for a few hours and see what happens.

I cancelled both my usual chats on Thursday morning, as I was still coughing (caused no doubt by the sputum test I did on Tuesday). At 9am I joined other hopeful MCC members in the online queue to purchase reserved seats that had been returned. There were 2,000 ahead of me, and I didn't hold out much hope. However, I was lucky enough to snare a seat in the front row on Level 4, which means I didn't have to queue yesterday morning in the hope of getting a seat.

Morse wondering where I am!

On Friday, after a walk & a chat with Leanne, I packed for my two nights in Melbourne, and was driven by Wes & Morse to Ballan to catch the train. It wasn't packed and I had a most enjoyable trip, which culminated in checking in to Citadines on Bourke, an apartment hotel, which I have been using in the past on Grand Final weekend, as The Windsor is too expensive. The staff are friendly, and the room is clean & well-equipped. It's a slightly longer walk to the ground, which is fine.

Around 5.30pm, I went to Red Emperor in Little Bourke Street, for a very early dinner. I was greeted warmly, given a good table, and enjoyed steamed dumplings, followed by salt & pepper squid with rice, accompanied by a glass of Sangiovese. The couple at the next table had come from Torquay to go to the game, so we chatted while we were eating. 

Beautifully presented yummy meal

Yesterday morning, I met Kathy & Gerard Lazzaro at Dame, in Collins Place, for a yummy breakfast. We enjoyed a good catch up in spite of the rain, and had an excellent view of all the Freo & Brisbane supporters wandering around Melbourne before heading to the ground. 

Meanwhile, back in Daylesford, Wes walked Morse, got some Grand Final provisions and settled in at home to watch the game. He's had a busy week - WhatsApp, Zoom & phone chats with Barbara, Helen & Denise & messages to Wendy, as well as lots of Ancestry work. He's also given the backyard a good haircut, and filled a couple of green bins with weeds & clippings. Our neighbour, Glen, had a large pine tree cut down this week, and we've all got an improved view with extra light since it went. Her garden will appreciate some new natives in its place, and some of our roses & vegetable beds won't know themselves.

Thanks to Glen for this lovely photo of the first ducklings of the season

The Grand Final yesterday was incredible with lots of highlights in front of 100,023. With 4 minutes to go, Freo was ahead by 17 points, but were beaten by Brisbane, who slammed on 4 goals in that time to register an incredible 7 point win. The loss of their Captain, Alex Pearce, with a ruptured achilles didn't help & he will miss much of 2027 as he recovers. Brisbane has now won three premierships in a row, which is an amazing feat. I must confess I felt quite flat after the game, as I thought Freo deserved to win, but they let it slip.

Jubilant Lions players with their amazing coach on the left

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 20th September 2026

Poor Sally!

After our busy morning last Sunday, I was pleased to be able to finish refreshing the herb pots on the decking, and planted some curly-leafed parsley in a very accessible garden bed. While I was turning the soil in that bed, I found Morse's name & Council tags, which had gone missing a couple of years ago and had to be replaced. Now we've got spares in case that happens again.

We woke to misty rain on Monday - too wet to walk, but muggy. I did the supermarket shop, visited the pharmacy and got the welcome news we had reached our thresh-hold and prescriptions would be free from now until 31st December. I also delivered newspapers to Spring Park Nursery, which is still selling bare-rooted roses and needs the papers to wrap the roses, especially those going by post. There were still balloons & streamers around town and signs everywhere celebrating Daylesford's big win in the CHFL Grand Final. 

Our hellebores are flowering beautifully out the front - thanks to Judi for the baby plants she gave us some years ago

We had a fun walk on Tuesday - our current obsession is finding particular graves, and we stumble upon other, much more interesting ones during our search. Sometimes it is sad to see the number of friends and acquaintances who have been buried over the 28 years since we first started meeting those fascinating people who call Daylesford home. 

We were in no hurry to return to our house, as our dishwasher had ceased operating overnight, which meant a thorough clean of the filters, which I did, before Wes had to unscrew the hose pipe, where he found a small sliver of glass, which was the cause of the trouble. It must be a safety issue, but it is very frustrating. We were delighted when the dishwasher went through its cycle successfully again. Then I went to Hepburn for a manicure with old friend, Juls, and Wes cleaned the downstairs bathroom. 

On Wednesday we started our walk in light rain & wind, which steadily got heavier, and when we found a dead rabbit in our path, we decided it was time to go back, after taking care of him. Afterwards I had a haircut with Kirsty, bought some chilli plants from Jeff at Wombat Hill Nursery, and found my way to Muffins & More to play Mah Jong with Judi. We had our usual good morning, with me winning early before Judi caught up. Michael, the local parcel man, was there, along with a few other friends sheltering from the cold wind. 

That afternoon, Karen from Barclays came to fix the clothes dryer. The problem was a bearing, but there were also heaps of dog hair everywhere inside the machine, which she vacuumed out, before putting it back on the wall. She also tightened the screw that connected the dishwasher hose pipe and we sent her away with a box of chocolate biscuits we had been given - they were far too rich, even for a chocoholic like Wes!

We woke to a cool but sunny day on Thursday, walked Morse, and then Wes had an excellent Zoom session with the Jackson Group discussing family violence, something that has impacted most people at some stage in their lives. Meanwhile I was able to change our sheets & towels and dry them successfully in the dryer. Then I joined an Old Friends WhatsApp catch up, where we spent most of our time reminiscing, which was very enjoyable.

Old friends - Manny, Joyce, Kathy, Ged, Wes & Karen last year 

Then we drove to Springs Medical Centre for our 6-monthly COVID boosters. It is always such a pleasure to go there - the receptionists are friendly and helpful, and Dr Patrick, who gave us the OK to have the injections, came up with another breakfast spot for next time we are in Adelaide. Neither of us had any reaction and were able to do a few chores and enjoy a normal day.

There was frost on the ground on Friday morning, but it ushered in a beautiful day, hitting 17℃ in the afternoon. Morse had a bath after his walk, and then Wes got stuck into the backyard, mowing & tidying up, while I went into Vincent Street looking to replace my shoe horn, which had broken that morning. No luck - will have to find a footwear place when I am in Melbourne for the Grand Final next weekend. 

a section of the huge crowd

We watched a wonderful Preliminary Final that night, where Freo came back after being held by Sydney for three quarters. And last night, we saw an even better game, which Brisbane won in the dying seconds by 9 points in front of nearly 98,000 fans. 

Yesterday we drove to Strathmore for our monthly visit with Leanne. She was in good spirits and pleased to see us. She has been taking an interest in gardening again, specifically growing vegetables from seed, and has spinach galore, with carrots & zucchini on the way, and tomatoes waiting to be planted.

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 13th September 2026

 
Reality sinks in for Peppermint Patty

We had a great trip to the Market last Sunday - as it was Fathers' Day, there were quite a few extra stalls & everyone was set up early. I was able to get eggs & dog bones from Jeff, and Yvonne had everything ready for us as usual. Morse gobbled up his apple, and all the talk was about the success of the Daylesford Seniors in playing in the Grand Final yesterday. 

I had offered to make special fried rice for lunch - Wes wanted to learn how to do it, and I wanted to give him a day off cooking. It was a big success. In the afternoon the Carlton & Collingwood AFLW teams met at Princes Park, where the Blues recorded an easy victory. Wes was delighted and very happy to see the Maloney Cup on display with the navy blue ribbon in the ascendance. I was rather embarrassed by the state of this 90-year-old Cup and polished it up the next morning.

After & before!

Great photo of Wes & Morse taken by Ged Lazzaro 

Stunning photo of Lake Daylesford taken by Ged Lazzaro

We learned last week that another old Daylesford friend, Andrew Brownell, had died 4 years ago. We spent many happy times with Andrew and his partner, Teck, at their beautiful 1864 B&B Holyrood House, which is being fully renovated by the new owners. 

Before the renovations

We woke on Monday to light rain, so Morse & Wes headed off where they had lots to contend with at Daylesford Cemetery. A B-double had broken down and there were repair crews, and other utes, with dogs, parked outside the fence. Fortunately Morse was able to have a good run and polished off his breakfast on his return. Meanwhile, I had been watched by three beautiful King Parrots as I worked in the kitchen, and rewarded them with cashews, which they love.

Our clothes dryer decided to make a worrying squeaky noise, so I turned it off and dried everything in the laundry cupboard, which as a heating duct in it, and racks to hang things. We had a look at the dryer later in the morning, cleaned the filter, lifted it up and back into position, and were pleased to discover the squeak had disappeared. Sadly that didn't last & we are waiting for Karen from Barclays in Ballarat to come on Wednesday & replace a bearing.

Latest items to be donated to the Salvos

It was a busy morning on Tuesday - Wes & Morse walked very early, and I had three catch up chats. The first was with my aunt, Jeff, in Lincolnshire, and I was delighted to see her looking well and happy in bright yellow. Next was my sister, Leanne, who was also looking good, and hoping to have a coffee in the sun with her support worker, Bec. Finally I caught up with friend, Jan, in Maleny, and we shared our news, which mostly consisted of health issues!

While Wes cleaned my bathroom - washed down walls, scrubbed tiles and polished mirrors, I got cracking with planting punnets of parsley and spinach, and purple bean seeds. I also prepared a tub to take chilis when we can get the seedlings. I feel as though I am on top of the herb pots, but still have about 6 on the decking to refresh. 

Floating pink camellias

Judi & I shared honours again on Wednesday at Muffins & More café, where we fitted in quite a few games of Mah Jong. The sun was shining, but the wind was cold, which kept a few people at home I'm sure. Wes vacuumed the floors, but didn't wash them as it would take too long for them to dry. 

We had a big day on Thursday. I fitted in a quick WhatsApp chat with Terry Borg in Balwyn, before we drove to Wallington, near Geelong, which is 125kms away. We broke our journey at Ballan, where we dropped in 4 boxes of jars to Rob & Dene. Rob was home and we had time to admire their beautiful garden, which is looking very healthy & happy. 

We met our friend, Wendy Owen, at Van Loon's Nursery & Café, in Wallington. This is one of her favourite spots and we could easily see why. The nursery is huge, full of wonderful plants and staffed by very friendly people. We had brunch and chose well from their interesting menu. The food was yummy, service excellent, and best of all, we were provided with serrated-edged knives to cut through our toast! Wendy's husband, Roberto, is in care as she can no longer look after him at home, and she needed to spend time with old friends and talk through some of the many issues facing her daily. 

We spent 90 minutes there sitting outside in the sun, and are so pleased we made the trip. Fingers crossed we have helped her navigate some difficulties, and given her confidence to proceed.

Needless to say we were quite tired when we arrived back here and spent some quiet time with Morse, who had been sleeping while we were away. 

More daffs & erlicheer at the front door

On Friday we woke to a cool morning, which quickly turned into the best day we've enjoyed in ages, reaching 19℃ in the afternoon. Morse spotted a bunny at the Cemetery and they chased each other very happily. Then I had a Zoom with Leanne, who had enjoyed a good week with her various NDIS supporters, before heading to Pete the podiatrist for my bi-monthly appointment. I came home with a library book, punnets of parsley & coriander, and a new pair of winter weight trousers as I was down to one pair!

In Melbourne, 100,021 packed the MCG to watch the San Francisco 49ers play the Los Angeles Rams, the first time a regular NFL game has been played here. We didn't watch the game, but were pleased that the 49ers, who arrived 8 days before the match and were guests at the MCG the previous Friday, won easily. The Rams arrived less than 48 hours before the start & looked as jet-lagged as they no doubt felt.

 

Yesterday was another beautiful day after a cool start. We woke to discover Fremantle had defeated Geelong by 14 points in a very high quality game in Perth. This means they progress to a Preliminary Final against Sydney at the SCG on Friday night. Wes & I both worked in the garden, which is looking lovely with all the colour and perfume of bulbs in every nook and cranny. 

The afternoon was spent watching AFLW matches and keeping an eye on the scores at the Central Highland Football League Grand Final, where Daylesford won easily over Dunnstown by 47 points. We were so thrilled for the team which included 6 players who had moved up from the Under 18s this year - one of them is Matt Hunt, son of Sarah, and grandson of Glen.