Dear Friends, where does the time go? I
can’t believe it is Sunday again. We’ve enjoyed an interesting & rather
social week – just for a change. On Monday, Nicole, my hairdresser, cut my hair
for the last time – she has retired from hairdressing to concentrate on working
more in Daylesford Clothing with Rodney Peacock. I can find another hairdresser,
but no-one within cooee will apply henna. Just as I was beginning to get
worried, Wes offered to learn how to do it & Nicole was happy to show him.
He thinks it looks easy, and it is a great solution for me! I have made an
appointment for a fringe trim with Adam at Spice, where I have my nails done.
Wes is having his hair cut by Adam & we both think he does an excellent
job.
After that, we headed to Gracenotes
Café, where we met up with our dear friend, Hanna Laundl, who was back
in Daylesford for a few days with her daughter, Rebecca. Rebecca had flown home
that morning, but Hanna stayed another 24 hours, which gave us time to see each
other. She looks very well & was really enjoying being back here again –
she knew at least five other faces in the café, something you miss when you
live in the Big Smoke of Sydney.
On Tuesday, I was pleased to start a new
programme at gym and Barry was very patient teaching me. It has been too wet to
play golf this past couple of weeks, so I can’t tell how much stronger I am
getting – I work it out by the distance I can hit the golf ball. Rhonda & I
had lunch together at Gracenotes Café, a very yummy
pumpkin & apple soup, which is one of Chris’s specialties. We hadn’t seen
each other since Melbourne airport last month when we were setting off on our
respective trips.
Mah
Jong was fun, especially as Dot turned up unexpectedly – Valerie & I were
quite sure she had said she would miss 2 Wednesdays, and it was good to hear
about the trip to Lakes Entrance, enjoy each other’s company & occasionally
play Mah Jong!
On Thursday morning after gym, I had
breakfast with Gillie, again at Gracenotes Café; where there was a
fire burning and we were able to have a comfortable chat over scrambled eggs.
Gillie goes into Cabrini tomorrow to have her other knee replacement operation
and we had lots to discuss before she headed off. Meanwhile Wes spent the
morning in Ballarat with his sister, Denise, as she needed some help, and I
think they both enjoyed their time together.
We have been busy in the garden – I’ve
finally finished all the vegetable beds – removed dead soil, used our own
mulch, soil, manure & newspaper, before covering each bed with a thick
layer of tea-tree mulch, which retains moisture and aids with watering. We
don’t trust Bilbo & Frodo not to play on the new beds, so I have pieces of
wood lying on top of everything to dissuade them, and so far it works. Wes has
been planting, mowing & pruning & everywhere looks good. We can’t keep
on top of the weeds, but every now & again we have a concerted effort.
Hard on the heels of Roz Moynihan’s sudden
death, came the news that David Innes, of Benjamin Bandicoot, had suffered a stroke while on holiday
with seven other Daylesfordites in Bali. Unluckily for him it occurred two days
after Dr Jon Barrell, who was part of the crew, left with his wife for
Amsterdam. Rodney Peacock, David’s partner, came home as planned on Wednesday,
and hopefully David will be home today. Annie Baird, another of the group, was
able to stay with him & will fly back with him.
Our friends, John & Jan, left yesterday
for two months in the sunshine far north – we will miss them both, but they
have had to postpone this trip a few times, so they are pleased that their
health allows them both to run away in their Motorhome.
I collected her at Ballan Station and we
went straight to Daylesford’s latest day spa, EKO, where we had booked
facials. We discovered we were being treated to a foot massage beforehand &
that we would be lying side by side having our facials. It was a wonderfully
relaxing experience and I can’t wait to go through it all over again with Emma
& Angie.
We arrived here to a glass of wine, a warm
house and risotto cooking. The Swans were all over the Magpies after the first
five minutes and Jane was her usual gracious self in victory. The match was
soured by the thoughtless sledging of Adam Goodes by a 13-year old girl in the
front row. He reported her and has since accepted her apology, but it was a
very disappointing start to AFL Indigenous Round.
Yesterday we had a leisurely breakfast
together, I made Jane listen to the Coodabeen Champions and then we walked into
town, bought her a coffee, went into a couple of shops & Wes picked us up
and drove us to Lavandula Swiss Italian Lavender Farm, where we were going to a
surprise lunch for Josephine Ward’s partner, Tony d’Aloi. We had wanted to see
the inaugural sculpture show at the farm and were very impressed with the range
& number of items on display.
Lunch
was perfect – Tony’s daughters had brought him to Daylesford as a treat, they
stayed at Innishfree which is run by our Irish friends, Jim & June
Swatman. The night before they had taken him to the dining room at the recently
refurbished Daylesford Hotel. He wasn’t expecting to see us and
thought it was a coincidence, until Josephine arrived as an extra surprise.
We left them to wander around the farm,
while we came home, relaxed, fed the boys, lit the fire and watched footy for
the rest of the afternoon & night. Fortunately Carlton was able to stay a
little ahead of Brisbane and won a tight game.
This morning Jane joined me at the Sunday
Market, and then we headed to the Food Gallery for breakfast. Also
joining us were Peter, Paul & John Russo, three brothers from Brunswick.
Peter is our solicitor and long-time friend, and they were all here
unexpectedly staying the weekend at Mooltan Guest House.
It
has been a very social weekend indeed. Wes is now collecting for the Salvos as
I write to you, Jane is wandering around town and we are planning to take her
to Ballarat shortly as she hasn’t been there for years.
Bilbo & Frodo waiting for cabbage leaves at the Sunday Market
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