Daylesford Dispatch - Friday, 17th August 2012

Dear Friends, today we finally had some snow – not quite as grand as this photo, but snow nevertheless, which makes all this cold weather worthwhile. Lovely heard it was snowing in Daylesford & rang to check it out, so that was a good bonus.

I had another good trip to Sydney, thanks to Jane & David, & Terry who came up with the best line of the weekend while we were at lunch on Sunday. It was cold, wet and windy in Sydney, so after Jane collected me on Friday afternoon, we drove to Cremorne to see The Sapphires, which is a delightful little Australian film. Don’t miss it – great writing, acting & singing & it’s true! That night, Jane’s best friend, Annette, joined us for takeaway Thai at home, as it was too cold & wet to go out anywhere. We watched the exciting Geelong & West Coast game & Jane managed to fall asleep 5 minutes before the end, which means she missed an amazing finish (dare I say it – yet again).

1994 – 4 Pies fans – Shar, Gayle, Karen & Jane

On Saturday, while David slept in, she & I went for breakfast & a short stroll around the shops, before retreating back home to the warmth. I spent the afternoon watching live footy until it was time to go to our big game. I had used my Melbourne Cricket Club membership to get reciprocal rights at the Sydney Olympic Stadium, and once we found the right ticket box, we headed in to look for our seats on Level 6. This took some doing as the standard of assistance at this Stadium ranges from indifferent to super-helpful, but you have to search long & hard to find the super-helpful. Our seats were up high, but on the wing and completely under cover, with no hope of the swirling wind & rain reaching us.

We were able to use the Members’ lounge and avail ourselves of fast food in comfy chairs with lots of other MCC & Stadium members. The game was like a final and I really expected the Swans to win, especially once we lost Daisy early on in the game. Somehow or other we wrested back the lead and held on during a tough last quarter to win. Jane was very disappointed as she had hoped for a win as well. But she is a very good person to be with at the footy and a very fair supporter, happy to applaud good play on both sides (as am I).

On Sunday, we had a quiet morning, then Terry arrived and we went to Chowder Bay for lunch at Ripples restaurant, which has stunning views if you are sitting outside. We opted for inside, which was marginally warmer. When I explained to the other three that this was my treat, Terry asked why stop there? And I haven’t answered him yet!!

David very kindly drove me to the airport on Monday morning, just as the sun decided to show itself in Sydney again and I had my second delayed flight for the trip. The flight there was kept on the ground for nearly an hour while some part in the door was replaced and this time the luggage containers wouldn’t load properly. However, my bag arrived safely and Wes was there to greet me, which was lovely. After he had dropped me off on the previous Friday, he had met Tom for a long catch-up lunch at the Kent Hotel, while the boys demolished a huge marrow bone and didn’t miss either of us.

I spent the rest of the day washing & ironing etc., while he went across the road to Barbara’s to interview Danny Spooner (pictured) for Hepburn Voices. After two hours and a bottle of red, they had barely started, but Danny is keen to become an interviewer, which is great.

We had planned to devote Tuesday to the Art Show and did – composing letters to 35 previous sponsors in the hope that they might have been pleased with the publicity they received last year and donate again this year. The next day we had a meeting of the Fund-raising section of our committee, where we discovered everyone was focussed and keen, and were all prepared to follow up on the letters. Yesterday we received an email from Fell’s Electricals donating $100 as they have for the past two years. We were so thrilled and feel all the work is paying off.

I was due to visit Viva yesterday, but the weather was atrocious, including black ice, fog & swirling rain, so we decided it would not be safe to drive. This afternoon Wes has driven to Melbourne, in better conditions, to drop some of Gillie’s eggs & a jar of O’Toole’s honey into Viva & Leanne, as well as visit Joan Testro, and finally, attend a celebration dinner of St Bernard’s Past School Captains & Vice Captains. He is hoping that Greg Delaney, who was Captain in 1966, will be there, as it is ages since they saw each other.

Wes in Sydney 1970 wearing his Charlie Brown jumper

Wes & I decided yesterday that we will forgo the double header of footy we had planned to see tomorrow. Wes is not enjoying footy this year, partly because Carlton is not playing well enough, and partly because he misses footy at Princes Park with his father, uncles and cousins. I used to envy him that he spent his childhood, teenage years and adulthood going to the footy with his father, something I would have loved to have done. The only advantage in going to the footy mostly on your own is that you don’t miss your early companions when they are no longer around. I was lucky once I was an adult to have Wes, Danny Millman, David Lazzaro, Shar & Loud Gayle as regular friends to enjoy the games with, as well as lots of other occasional companions.

Carlton is playing at 1.45pm tomorrow & Collingwood at 7.40pm that night, which leaves us with a big gap in between. Greta & Harry are using the Collingwood tickets and Ben Lazzaro is using the Carlton ones. We are looking forward to sitting down in front of the fire, with the boys at our feet, watching the action live. Wes is planning to slow cook osso buco, which will be a special treat for all three boys.

It is as wet underfoot at our place as it has ever been; the Lake can fill no more, so the pathways are all submerged; drains are all overflowing in the streets, and we are grateful that apart from a small leak in the kitchen, the house is waterproof!

I’ll leave you with some exciting news –Ben Lazzaro & his wife, Leanne, are expecting their first baby at the end of this year. Ben tells me that have had the 20 week scan & all is well and that they have chosen not to know the baby’s sex. We are so thrilled for them both.

P.S. On a sad note, Libby Edgoose emailed me to say that her father, Doug, is not well at present. We have known him forever and he has been indestructible up until now. We are thinking of all the Mathews clan – Campbell, Bob & Lib, and their families.