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Sunday, 20 November 2016

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 20th November 2016


Dear Friends, we enjoyed a good breakfast last Sunday with Danny’s company. Everyone had lots to say and share and we particularly liked our chat about Australian vernacular, apropos a comment from Deborah Fowler the day before, of an embarrassing invitation she received when she was first in Australia from Zimbabwe. She was invited to a barbie, assured that there would be a few rellies, asked to bring her bathers & a plate. She had no idea what a barbie or rellies were, guessed bathers & had to ignore her culture, which told her that taking food to someone else’s place was considered an insult to the hosts, as it suggested that they were unable to feed you.


Bilbo in relax mode as things are back to normal in the Food Gallery & he can see us through the windows

It was another cold, wet Spring day, so Wes and I decided to relax in front of the cricket, which was promptly washed out!

On Monday, it was cold again, but not wet, so Wes spent a morning in the garden weeding & tidying up. Nick Massaro came to give me a massage, which he did to the accompaniment of the cricket. I did a few chores afterwards and then settled down to writing the Christmas letter and getting Christmas cards organised.

The film this week was ‘Truman’, a wonderful Spanish/Argentinian film with subtitles. I was the only one in the audience, until Wes & Malcolm came in to see this superb film. We will remember it for a long time – great acting & direction & such a believable storyline. That night Wes & Barbara went to the AGM of the local Bendigo Bank.


On Wednesday, it was a lovely morning & all the birds were chirruping happily as they ate the seed I had strewn on the lawn at the back. The roses just need a little more sun before they are out, but everything that is yellow or purple seems to be in abundance – lavender, daisies, irises, rosemary and even seaside daisies.

Wes took Barbara for a big shop, filled her car with petrol and helped with anything else she needed, including the garden, while I met Dot for Mah Jong in the morning, and brought home lunch from Muffins & More. That afternoon Wes & Barbara interviewed Eddie Beacham for the Hepburn Voices project.
  


 Group photo from Tuki – Kathey Jordon, Danny Millman, Karen & Wes Maloney, Tom Tyrrell, Deb Fowler & Mike Jordon

Thursday was Wes’s birthday and he wanted a quiet day at home, so we had just that. He received a handful of cards & three phone calls, but Facebook went viral with good wishes and he replied to every one of them. I couldn’t cope with that sort of onslaught, but Wes loves FB and he enjoyed it. He spent the morning out the front cleaning the pond and weeding. I made special fried rice for lunch & included Istra ham in his serve, which went over very well. Afterwards he had a chocolate éclair with a candle & poppers, which set him up for an afternoon’s working on the computer.

That night we watched a very modern 2012 stage play of ‘Jesus Christ, Superstar’, my all-time favourite musical. It was absolutely stunning, with a live rock band and starring Ben Forster as Jesus & Tim Minchin as Judas. I think we might have to buy the DVD & watch it whenever we feel like it!

On Friday, apart from printer problems, we enjoyed a good start to the day. We were all up early as Bilbo was keen to walk from 4am onwards & finally Wes got up at 4.50am. We decided to go to the Ballarat Art Gallery to see the Archibald Finalists, as the Exhibition finishes at the end of next week.

There were some wonderful entries – most notably the winner, Barry Humphries, the Packing Room prize winner, George Columbaris; Garry McDonald, Wendy Whitely in her garden (an exquisite small portrait), the Sudanese refugee, Deng, & my favourite, Guy Warren.








We spent about an hour there and decided on the way home to stop at the Swiss Mountain Hotel in Blampied for lunch. We had taken Terry McDonald there for a drink a couple of years ago, but never tried their food. And we won’t be going back. The meal was OK, but the service was very second-rate and there were only two tables of diners, so there was no excuse.

Yesterday Wes spent in the garden & on the computer, while I drove to Melbourne and spent some time with Leanne. It was a perfect day and everyone was out & about enjoying the sunshine.


This is my last Daylesford Dispatch until 4th December, as we are heading off to Adelaide tomorrow via Eureka Kennels in Ballarat & with a couple of nights in Mount Gambier to break the journey. We are not expecting the great cricket we enjoyed last year, but will be seeing Jane & David Knox, which is always wonderful. On the way back, we are spending three nights in Portland – haven’t been there for years, so it will be fun to see how it has grown & changed. No doubt we’ll keep in touch via Facebook. 

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