Daylesford Winter Dispatch - Sunday, 27th August 2017

Bilbo was so thrilled with last Sunday’s breakfast that he overate dreadfully & we have decided to limit the amount he consumes from us, the Market & friends on Sunday Mornings. I am not sure that anyone will be happy with this decision, least of all Bilbo…even if it is for his own good.

I brought home a beautiful bare-rooted Violina hybrid tea-rose from the Market – one I had never seen or heard about before & it has been planted in a special spot.

It was a freezing morning on Tuesday, when I drove to sunny Strathmore to spend time with Leanne. The temperature here was -1˚ when I left & 4˚ when I returned. However, the temperature in Strathmore got as high as 17˚, quite a difference indeed.

We were due for another busy week, with free days in between trips to Melbourne, but I threw a spanner in the works on Wednesday morning, when I came home after gym & a lovely catch-up with Judi, as I was feeling sicker by the minute. Bed rest is the only thing that works & it meant we had to cancel our plans to attend the Bradman Lunch at the MCC on Thursday. This is an annual event that we both really enjoy. It is hosted by Gerard Whateley & usually Greta Bradman sings for us. Brendan Kierce tells me that the lunch went very well with Len Pascoe as the Guest Speaker doing an excellent job.  

Wes looked after me in his usual caring fashion on Wednesday & Thursday, but I wouldn’t let him cancel a trip to Melbourne on Friday for a school reunion that he had organised at the Yorkshire Stingo Hotel in Collingwood.

Yesterday, I watched in amazement as Collingwood hung on for an unexpected & very welcome win in the last game of the home & away season. I had planned to be at that match, but I am still confined to bed as this head cold has turned into bronchitis – a legacy of having no immune system I am sure. My thoughts go out to our mate, Danny, who has also been laid low all week with a similar bug.

We were shocked to hear of the sudden & unexpected death of Drew Morphett, a sports commentator, aged 69. Drew was a young Sydneysider, who knew nothing about Aussie Rules, when he was thrown in the deep end, learning to call the game in Perth with the help of a former Carlton captain. I think he endeared himself to everyone with his infectious grin & great love of sport – Aussie Rules, cricket & racing being his three favourites. He was a cult figure in the 80s as the anchor man on the ABC’s ‘The Winners’ every Saturday night.

  

Wes showed the film, Monsieur Chocolat last night at the Daylesford Cinema to a very appreciative audience. I took the opportunity to turn the lights out at 7.30pm, and had the best sleep I have managed for the week. I am still coughing & asthmatic this morning, but I suspect the worst is over.

  

Nurse Baggins looking after me while Wes is away in Melbourne!

Daylesford Winter Dispatch - Sunday, 20th August 2017

Once again there was no breakfast last Sunday, but Bilbo was given lots of shredded cabbage & pats at the Sunday Market, as well as celery offcuts, when we arrived home. I made a big bowl of very spicy minestrone, which we have been enjoying, mostly at night, as we usually eat our main meal at 1pm & catch up with something we have taped. At present, we are still working our way through old Silent Witness episodes & have arrived at the series when Sam Ryan left & Nikki Alexander joined unexpectedly.

After gym on Monday, Nick Massaro arrived with a treat for Bilbo, plum jam for us, heaps of conversation & a massage for me. We enjoyed our catch-up & I was pleased to have him work on my very stiff neck & try to free it up. Wes was able to work in the garden as it was such a beautiful sunny day & he filled our bin with his prunings & weedings.

Thanks to everyone who has asked after Jessie. She is undergoing radiotherapy at The Alfred & last weekend, had a couple of day leave passes, which must have been wonderful for her & her family.

Wes was showing the film, ‘Kedi’, which is about cats in Istanbul, so I took the opportunity to spend some time on my computer in the study, while Wes was away. At present, he is in writing mode, and I don’t like to interrupt his train of thought, even though he says I don’t. I am very conscious that he is in another world – at present he is writing more Maloney stories, as well as finishing off the tales that accompany Brian’s paintings.

I am proof-reading these tales & find myself having to read them again & again, as they are so evocative. I am caught up in the past lives of the Villages of the Hepburn Shire. Brian & Wes seem to be the perfect marriage of word & picture & I hope that their Exhibition in October & accompanying book will do justice to their partnership. I envy Wes his ability with words – I get away with writing a diary & occasionally sparking interest in my readers, but Wes has the knack of producing prose for posterity & I couldn’t be prouder of him.

On Monday, we were very sad to hear from our friend, Andrew Mengyel, that his partner of 32 years, Syd Walton, had died. This photo was taken 3 years ago when Andrew & Syd joined us for breakfast before the ChillOut Parade. We last saw Syd in March, when Andrew brought him up to Daylesford for a farewell breakfast with Barbara & us & the Sunday Breakfast regulars.

Andrew, Syd, Danny, Judi & Russell & John (friends of our next-door neighbours, Dene & Rob)

Syd’s funeral was held at Fawkner Cemetery on Friday morning. Wes, Barbara & I drove there & were very pleased we could support Andrew. The funeral was a good celebration of Syd’s life, with the highlight being a home video of Syd singing along with Eartha Kitt’s rendition of ‘C’est Si Bon’.

Wes & I had driven to Melbourne the day before to have lunch with Karen & Malcolm Stevenson at an old favourite, Jimmy Watson’s in Lygon Street, Carlton. It was a wonderful, long lunch – great conversations, excellent food & lovely wine.

Bilbo all rugged up at night for a good sleep!

Yesterday I set off for Melbourne yet again, this time by train to the MCG to see Collingwood play Geelong with Danny Millman as my guest. We were both excited to be seeing the debut game of Josh Daicos, son of the legend, Peter, who thrilled from 1979 to 1993 with his freakish goal-kicking, which was the exception rather than the norm in those days.

Danny & I had a lovely time together, and were very thrilled when the Magpies started well with 6 goals in the 1^st Quarter. However, we were gradually overhauled by a better team. Josh looked at home on the big stage, which was very exciting to watch.

Last night, we were too tired to watch the second half of the Carlton vs Hawthorn match & were absolutely delighted to find this morning that the Blues had continued their first half form & won the game by 7 points. It is such a long time since Carlton has beaten Hawthorn & Wes has an extra spring in his step this morning. He hasn’t been sold on Brendan Bolton, the coach, but I suspect Brendan would be asking Wes ‘what more can I do to persuade you?’ after that win.

It is a very cold & frosty morning – I chickened out of the early walk & had a pot of tea with the Age instead. Bilbo & I are shortly going to the Sunday Market, followed by Breakfast (much to his delight) & the rest of my day will be a very quiet one – washing & ironing & watching footy beckons after a very busy week.

  

As I look out onto our back garden, the birds are happily foraging in amongst the frosty grass & our first bulbs have come to light – little bunches of tête-à-têtes, which I love. Soon the daffodils, jonquils, tulips & hyacinths will join them & perhaps then the camellias will burst into flower as well.

Daylesford Winter Dispatch - Sunday, 13th August 2017

We have a delightful routine here that gives me great pleasure each morning. Around 7am, I go outside to where we keep the birdseed & walk up the path to strew seed on the lawns on either side. Nearly every time I do this, a magpie swoops down from wherever he has been hiding & looks expectantly at me, so I throw some seed at his feet. He immediately erupts into song & the rest of his family, who are not as brave, join him. After a while a family of rosellas fly down & usually choose the other side of the path from the magpies to peck away happily. Bilbo accompanies me on this mission, but his presence isn’t enough to scare away the magpies or rosellas.

We had a lovely, unexpected visit from Tom Tyrrell last Sunday. He was in Melbourne catching up with his grandchildren, Oscar & Macy, & their mother, Helen. It was so good to see him & he is looking very well & rested after 5 months in Coffs Harbour & surrounding areas. His wife, Deborah, was at home there looking after the dogs, Minty & Jaffa.

Tom arrived after the flurries of snow had been & gone, but it was a freezing day, so we lit the open fire & spent the afternoon watching footy & chatting. Wes made a quiche for lunch & followed it up with steamed Atlantic salmon & vegetables for dinner. Tom prepared the poached pears, which we had for sweets.

Bilbo excited to have a visitor!

Sadly, Tom caught a flight back home the next day – we would have enjoyed another 24 hours or so with our oldest friend. I headed off early to pump water at Leitches Creek as it is very difficult to get in & out of Daylesford on the Woodend & Castlemaine Roads while the roundabout is being constructed. There are traffic lights in operation, which is fine, but after about 7.30am, long queues form in every direction. By the time I got home from gym, I was very happy to take it easy for the rest of the day. However, my precious teapot broke, so after lunch, I walked into Vincent Street to buy a replacement. The teapot has one screw & that is where the break occurs – I usually need a new one every couple of years.

This has been a warmer week, especially now the skies are starting to lighten earlier. Our bulbs should be flowering soon, but we seem to be far behind other Daylesford friends whose gardens aren’t as high up as ours. We’ve also had a social week with me spending a day with Leanne in Strathmore; Wes & I having a long cuppa & chat with Glenn Mack as he ponders the next move in his life; Wes enjoying lunch at Trentham Collective with old friend, Bob White, and us both sharing a drink with Gillie Gough at the Daylesford Hotel as we caught up with her the day after she arrived home from a wonderful European holiday.

I had hoped to join the Bushwalkers as they strolled around Porcupine Ridge on Friday morning, but I am usually tired the day after a trip to Melbourne, so opted for a quiet morning catching up on paperwork, emails & phone calls instead. Meanwhile, Brian & Wes visited Blampied & Rocklyn & Wes took this stunning photo of part of the old Daylesford railway line. One of our friends, Terry Borg, remarked on FB how much she enjoys his Friday travels & the resulting photos, some of which have turned into paintings.

Yesterday was cold & wet again, so we opted for indoor chores, listened to the Coodabeen Champions (always a treat for 2 hours before the footy starts) & watched various games during the afternoon & evening. Wes had volunteered to show the 8pm film at Daylesford Cinema, so missed Carlton’s brave showing against West Coast over there. 11 patrons turned up to watch the latest Spiderman film.

This morning is dry and much warmer than yesterday, so we have walked around both sections of Lake Daylesford & I am about to take Bilbo to the Sunday Market. What Bilbo doesn’t know is that breakfast has been cancelled again this week, as there are only three of us available & it doesn’t seem fair to make The Food Gallery staff run up & down the stairs, or to use their heating & lighting for three breakfasts. Wes is promising to make chili eggs when we return, & I will cook a big pot of minestrone for tonight’s dinner, as well as the odd meal during the week. I won lots of points for producing a boiled fruit cake yesterday afternoon – Wes had no idea, hadn’t even smelt it cooking & was thrilled when I delivered slices of warm cake to him downstairs at his desk.

1996 Christmas morning with Lauren Millman (now Kennedy); Heath Preston & Andrew Kierce – wonderful memories 

Daylesford Winter Dispatch - Sunday, 6th August 2017

 When I left you last week, Wes & I were heading off to the MCG to see Collingwood play Adelaide. We decided to go early & catch a bit of the curtain-raisers, which didn’t happen, as we were held up on the Calder Highway & when we arrived, were able to meet up with David Lazzaro & his son, Daniel & spend a most enjoyable hour or so with them.

The footy was much closer & much more exciting than we had expected, although the Pies let the Crows come back from 50 points down to force a draw after the siren! At half-time I found Gayle Gibson in the Long Room with her friend, Heather, enjoying afternoon tea. I had hoped to buy her a glass of sparkling to celebrate her birthday, but we’ve taken a raincheck on that & she gave me a copy of a wonderful book entitled ‘The Collingwood Barracker 1853-1906’.

We arrived home to find that Bilbo, after he had finished his treat, had hopped onto Wes’s chair & appeared to have spent most of the day reclining there in luxury!

  

                                          

Although we were tired the next morning, I made it to gym, where Andrea delights in asking me to perform warm-up activities that involve simultaneous use of arms & legs & I just can’t do it, which is frustrating for me & amusing for everyone else. Fortunately, all our footy teams had won, so there was plenty of good conversation to be had.

Wonderful mug I saw on Facebook!

I took Bilbo for a walk into town, but he was most reluctant, even though the sun was shining & the frost had melted away. It is always fun to walk up & down Vincent Street with a bag & small shopping list, catching up with friends & feeling good when hard to find articles can be ticked off.

Earlier last month, our youngest nephew, Rohan Fell, graduated from the International College of Management, Sydney, with a Bachelor of Sports Management – so proud of him!

Wes showed the film, ‘20^th C Women’ on Tuesday morning & there were 3 of us in the audience. We all want those two hours back – it was a very long, very indulgent film with few redeeming features. Lunch afterwards at The Food Gallery was a lovely treat – seafood chowder to die for served by the same Andrea who puts me through hell at the gym.

 

Great photo of David Castles at The Food Gallery last Sunday morning, with Bilbo looking on from outside

After gym on Wednesday I caught up with Annie Smith & her Irish Water Spaniel, Maisie. We sat outside in the sun at Muffins & More & talked about our various trips this year as well as sharing memories of her husband, David, who died 10 years ago. Wes spent the morning with Barbara, helping her with NDIS & doing some work in her garden. Barbara’s new carers are proving to be wonderful, reliable workers – they arrive early & spot jobs that need doing before they are asked.

On Thursday, we had hoped to visit Werribee Open Zoo or even explore Sunbury, but rain was forecast for everywhere so we opted for Gold Class in Ballarat instead & saw Dunkirk, which we enjoyed very much.

Afterwards we went to the Ballarat Art Gallery where we saw three very different & interesting exhibitions – the first was an interesting display of collections of memorabilia, curios & other old items; the next was Liz Blizzard’s tribute to the strong women in her past, which she did by way of large paintings telling the stories, and the third was a series of stunning paintings by Robyn Mayo, who travelled through Central Australia between 1996 & 2013.

We had lunch at Knife, Fork, Spoon, where you are assured of a warm welcome & an interesting menu. Wes enjoyed a pulled pork bagel with coleslaw & I had the warm pumpkin salad. The meals are always attractively presented & the menu tells you everything that is in each dish, so there are no nasty surprises if you are allergic to any ingredients.

We came home as the rain started to find Bilbo sound asleep on his bed & looking as though he had barely missed us.

On Friday, Wes & Brian headed to Lyonville, Bullarto area & Wes took this beautiful atmospheric photo in the mist. I had planned on joining the Bushwalkers who were tackling Kidd’s Gully, but decided it was too wet & stayed home doing chores instead.

We had delivered 4 beanies & 30 squares to Keeping Daylesford Warm last Sunday – all the wool was courtesy of Kathy Lazzaro & 2 of her friends – thank you all so much. Items were distributed during the week & the current need is for more rugs, so I have been asked for 49 squares ASAP. I enjoy knitting them, especially as I found a great pattern that has me knitting garter stitch diamonds instead - cast on 3 stitches, increase 1 stitch on the 2^nd stitch of each row until you reach the desired side length & then decrease 1 stitch per row. It makes for a more even square & if you add colours, the stripes are most attractive on the diagonal.

   Some of my squares, which use up small lengths of wool

Yesterday, it was too wet to walk, so we opted for breakfast at Boathouse Daylesford instead. Their roasted mushroom dish with provolone, spinach, sweet corn etc is very yummy & we enjoyed sitting looking out at the mist over the Lake.

I decided not to go to the Docklands to see Collingwood play North last night as it was so cold & wet. Even though the Pies won, I am very comfortable with my decision, as it was a dreadful game of footy with lots of errors as well as some bad injuries on both sides.

This morning is another misty one with light rain falling. This won’t stop Bilbo & I going to the Sunday Market to get fruit, vegetables, eggs & possibly another bare-rooted rose, like this – Margaret Merril, which I bought last Sunday. It is a very fragrant tea-rose, which Wes has planted in a spot that could do with a couple more roses to keep it company!