Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 22nd November 2020

We started our week with a lovely catch up breakfast on Sunday morning after the Market. Daylesford had been bustling with visitors (they're the ones not wearing masks) and it was such a thrill to sit out of sight at the back of the Food Gallery & spend time with Judi, Glen, Sandy, David & Rhonda. We had so much to talk about as this was the largest gathering most of us had been in since March.

On Monday, we tackled re-arranging our study before attempting to change the paintings, posters and certificates on the walls. It was quite a big exercise, but we are very pleased with the end result. Wes had been working on a table that Viva had given him, an old dining table with a central leaf that vanishes underneath when you don't need it. He decided to try using his old-fashioned timber desk and is enjoying the change. We moved the bar fridge out to under the house, shifted two filing cabinets, the Jason recliner & two cupboards & have given ourselves a lot more room than we had before. 

We had to go out & buy Lewis & Morse a new comfy bed, and we also bought some clear heavy duty plastic sheets to protect the cork tiling, as well as replenishing Jamieson & Hendricks decanters. While all this was happening, Judi dropped off a large jar of her cumquat marmalade, Australia Post delivered two boxes of red wine from South Australia, two friends messaged to change appointments, and we missed our regular Zoom chat with the Kirbys as the time difference between Victoria & Queensland played havoc with our diaries. 

Top - my desk; Centre - dining table under the Map of the World, and Bottom - Wes's desk & recliner

I've had a few chats - two Zooms with Leanne; a lovely long Skype with Jeff in Torksey Lock; another Zoom with Kathy Lazzaro and a few local phone calls. As well, Judi and I had brunch at Bad Habits Cafe at the Convent Gallery, where we were beautifully spoiled by Marija, who has worked there as long as I can remember. Judi had asked if she could bring some loose-leaf Jasmine tea, and that was a lovely surprise for me. We shared a big teapot and sat happily for over an hour in a private corner with a gentle breeze & a stunning view. 

Tuesday was Wes's birthday. The boys and I had noticed that he wasn't enjoying reading recently, so Lewis picked up a copy of Hilary Mantel's The Mirror & the Light, and Morse sent away for a Bernard Cornwell trilogy - The Warlord Chronicles (a story of Arthur). These were much appreciated when given! I have a tradition of buying Sweet Decadence chilli chocolates (as these were made by Alan & Kaye Harrison by request from Wes back when he was Mayor). Wes's main gift is a hedge trimmer, which he gets to choose himself.

We enjoyed a lovely day - garden in the morning, followed by a trip into Vincent Street to get fresh prawns from Daylesford Fish Supply (Closed - Gone Fishing for a fortnight) & Stilton from Winespeake (none - we used to have it, try a similar Australian product). The afternoon was spent in our newly re-organised study, finding new homes for bits & pieces, as we have removed three places where stuff could accumulate! 

That night, our neighbour, Glen, left a lovely bottle of St Hallett Black Clay Shiraz at our doorstep, with a slab of chocolate & a single red rose. We needed no encouragement to open the bottle at once, and it was the perfect accompaniment to the garlic prawns with asparagus that Wes cooked for dinner. We got stuck into a bottle of botrytis semillon with the cheese & chocolate, and needed a couple of days without drinking to recover!

Wes has enjoyed a Climate Change webinar; had a very successful chat with past Mayor,s & a final Zoom with Paul, Barry & Mike wrapping up the US election and discussing how superior the health systems in the UK & Australia are compared to the US. 

We were invited next door for morning tea by Rob Griffin and it was just delightful to sit out on his balcony with a pot of tea and treats and chat for 30 minutes or so - the sort of thing we used to do quite often in the past. 

This year, Wes and I have jointly written our Christmas letter, which will be going out in our Christmas cards or by email, which will probably be more reliable! We have made use of the compressed dining table to set out the cards & write them when we feel like it. In the past I would carry everything upstairs to our dining table, but this is much more efficient!

Morse & Lewis getting used to their new roomy study bed

Yesterday I made our Christmas pudding. The house is still full of that delightful aroma of hot fruit, butter & rum. Wes spent the morning in the front garden before it got too hot & he retreated inside for a break. Daylesford is busy again this weekend, so we have been avoiding Vincent Street, and even though I am keen to visit our new shop - Blake Family Grocers - I'm happy to wait until tomorrow after School. 

We had decided to take box quinella on the Ballarat Cup, the final meeting of the Spring Racing Carnival & asked Squiz & Danny for their picks. Danny picked 17 (Irish Flame) as it used to be his Preston YCW footy jumper number, Squiz picked no 2 (Harlem), Wes went for the favourite & local horse no 10 (Affair to Remember) and I picked no 4 (Junipal) as it was one of the fancies. No 17 beat no 10 in an exciting finish, with no 2 just edged out of 3rd spot. We had the quinella twice ($87) & were a whisker off the trifecta (which paid over $2,000 - I had taken a 50c trifecta without telling anyone and $250 each was looking good until the very finish). It was a great finish to a fun carnival, made better by sharing bets with Squiz & Danny. Thank you both.