Daylesford Christmas Dispatch - Saturday, 25th December 2021

 
Thanks to Judi for this lovely Christmas Snoopy

It seems like a good idea to send this Christmas Dispatch a day early, as I will be in Melbourne getting ready for Day 1 of the Boxing Day Ashes Test tomorrow morning. We've walked the boys & are heading out to Cliffy's for hot drinks & socialising with local friends. Around 10am we'll pack the car, give Lewis & Morse giant marrow bones, and drive to Strathmore to share Christmas lunch with Leanne. 

When I last wrote, we were leaving Adelaide & driving home in one go. We got away at 8am & arrived back here at 4.30pm to find that Judi had left tomatoes, cheese, croissants, juice & home-made shortbreads to welcome us. We unpacked, got the loads of washing started & watched the cricket with hot drinks & yummy shortbreads. By the time I went to bed England had lost 2 wickets & all three loads of washing were dry. 

Judi had left some purple flowers as well & I added some of our many roses to the vase

On Monday, after sleeping well back in our own beds, we were up early - me to do Coles shopping & Wes to visit Yvonne, who had our fruit & vegetables ready for us to collect at her home in Wheatsheaf. While I put everything away, Wes collected Lewis & Morse from Creswick Kennels, where there was a drama as our EFT payment hadn't showed up in Janelle's bank account. I printed, scanned & emailed a copy of our bank receipt from Saturday & she let Wes take the boys with him. Usually money transfers in a matter of hours, but this hadn't occurred for some reason. 

Lewis & Morse were delighted to be home & kept licking & kissing us both. They said hello to Rob next door, got stuck into bones & then fell asleep in their comfy beds with not a care in the world. That afternoon we had a most successful Zoom with Mike & Linda in Hope Island - we wore our cricket yellows & they were decked out in Christmas attire.  

On Tuesday life seemed back to normal - we got up at 5.25am, got organised & headed to Lake Daylesford for a walk. Barry the Pom fisherman wanted to avoid chatting about cricket with us after his team lost the Second Test in the final session the night before. We encountered a few runners, but Morse was more relaxed than usual & apart from growling at ducks (useless animals apparently), he didn't bark or get distressed. 

I had an early chat with my aunt, Jeff, in Lincolnshire, wishing her a happy family get-together, and then talked to Leanne, who had lots to tell me about her week & preparations for our day together. She was delighted to see Lewis & Morse, and even happier when they collapsed with exhaustion & snored 😴😴.

After those chats I met Judi for breakfast at Muffins & More. We enjoyed a good catch up before I set off delivering thank you gifts to the staff there, to Luke at the Post Office, to Tim at Bi-Rite & to Steve who delivers our papers. That just left the Garbos & I set a Christmas bag up on the bins on Thursday morning.

Wednesday was my usual busy morning delivering old copies of The Age to Spring Park Nursery; leaving jam jars, Epicures & The Local at Porcupine Ridge for Nick & Robyn, and visiting Daylesford Cemetery to put fresh rosemary on Annie's grave, which now has a proper cover & amended gravestone. 

Next stop was Lyndal for a haircut & I was delighted to see last year's Christmas gift (a hand-painted small plate with red poppies) was on display with a candle burning. We had a great chat while she tidied me up and then I headed to Hepburn to see Juls & have my last manicure for the year. We had lots of laughs, but I was exhausted by the time I arrived back home, where Sandra had cleaned everywhere beautifully. Wes had been working in the back garden - weeding, mowing & trimming with the help of Lewis & Morse of course.

On Thursday, after our walk, I made a big batch of brandy butter to go with the Christmas pudding, before enjoying a good catch up chat with Kathy Lazzaro. We were making plans to meet for breakfast on Day 3 of the Boxing Day Test & chose The European, only for me to discover that it wouldn't be open, nor would it be serving breakfast any more. How disappointing - it is such a classy place to meet before the cricket. So we decided to go somewhere even classier & are meeting at One Eleven@The Windsor instead. 

That afternoon we had a lovely neighbours' catch-up under Glen's cherry tree - Rob & Dene catered lavishly, we all brought bottles of sparkling shiraz & Glen provided the beautiful setting of her shady garden. We exchanged gifts, toasted the future & Wes & I promised to host next year's event. 

Wes took this photo of me, Rob, Dene & Glen

Yesterday Wes collected the King Island crays, oysters & prawns that we had ordered from Peter at Daylesford Fish Supply. We ate the oysters last night and are taking the rest to share with Leanne for lunch today. 

Adelaide Summer Dispatch - Sunday, 19th December 2021

Sally was way ahead of her time, wasn't she!

I forgot last Sunday to talk about a quick stopover we had in Port Fairy on our way to Robe. We decided to get out of Port Campbell after I had spoken to Leanne by Zoom to wish her a Happy Birthday, and picked out Bank St + Co as our preferred location. We easily got seated inside & enjoyed stunning breakfasts - Wes had a most beautiful muesli & I opted for a meal that made me think of our dear friend, Jan Pengilley. I am sure she would have approved of dukkah spiced butternut pumpkin with poached eggs, sauteed greens & Persian feta. 

We decided to have a quiet day on our Sunday in Robe. After breakfast at The Adventurous Spoon, we headed back to our apartment for a rest. I still had Saturday's Age crosswords to do & we needed to work out how to get clothes dry in our combination washing machine/dryer, as well as reset the air-conditioner which I had buggered up when trying to move from Heat to Cool! Those things all solved, Wes went for a swim at the little Chinese beach near the Marina, where there is a monument to the 16,500 Chinese who sailed to Robe to walk into Victoria & avoid paying the landing fee. 

Afterwards we went for a walk along the main street & found The Black Swan, a quirky bar, where we tried a couple of South Australian gins. Hendricks still has nothing to fear, although my flowery gin was served with slices of orange, which was very refreshing. We came home via the Robe Chinese Restaurant, one of those set with spoons & forks, and we had to beg for chopsticks. However, our meals were yummy - Wes had duck & I had salt & pepper squid. We've been eating early - 5.30pm, as we don't have lunch after our substantial breakfasts. 

When we arrived back at our apartment, Wes managed to get rid of the closed captions which had been permanently on display, and while doing so, found Channel 7 & we were able to watch the Stars & the Renegades in an exciting Big Bash game. Our TV had Foxtel, but not the cricket station, which is very frustrating. 

On Monday morning, we got up at 6am again and walked along a track that took us past the footy ground & the golf club. We met a man leaving his home, who told us there was plenty of bore water as he put his sprinklers on. Later, he drove past us, stopped & told us about some lovely walks near the lighthouse. Barry is a retired crayfisherman & a very kind man.

We headed to Beachport after a light breakfast at the Union Café and fell in love with the place. There are beautiful little beaches everywhere, water to view from spots galore & plenty of exciting walking tracks. Many of the homes are old & have been looked after, and most of the locals appeared to own boats! We'd like to come back & stay, perhaps with a couple of Labs who would love spending time at the beach. 

One of our walks - to the Lighthouse - took us to this delightful vantage point complete with comfy kitchen chairs

On Tuesday, our early morning walk was along the backbeach area of Robe, near the Lighthouse. We enjoyed watching the waves crash in & thought of our days owning a holiday home at Blairgowrie with Sherryn & Paul Danaher. Wes had a swim at the front beach, while I chatted to Leanne on Zoom and then he prepared a yummy breakfast of tomatoes & avocado on toast. 

For our last night in Robe, we went back to the Black Swan, tried two Tasmanian gins (better) and sampled their Thai fishcakes & Chilli Prawns. We couldn't fault the food & would definitely come back here.

The next morning we did another walk, this time to the Obelisk (built 1855) and back around the Marina, where work was being done on the paths. We are so impressed with Robe - clean, safe, beautiful & the walking paths are well-maintained.

Our drive to Adelaide went well, with a delightful stop at a town called Meningie, near The Coorong. We went to Freshies Café, where we had hot drinks & slices of ginger & walnut cake, sitting outside looking out to the water. The Comfort Meridien Hotel leaves a little to be desired, but it is in a great location on Melbourne Street, with off-street parking. We walked to our favourite spot, Lotus Chinese Restaurant, which we have been visiting since our very first trip to the Adelaide Pink Ball Test back in November 2015. Wendy was thrilled to see us - she & her husband have been running their restaurant in this spot for 24 years!

On Thursday, we got up at 6am & drove the short distance to the nearest COVID testing station, as we had to have a follow up test on our 6th day in South Australia. It took 90 minutes from door to door & was very well organised. They only test one nostril here, so not quite as much pain as in Victoria. 

We had breakfast at The Flying Fig, a Jewish cafe nearby & enjoyed it immensely. We walked back to our hotel and prepared to set off to the Adelaide Oval. I thought I would check our tickets & they had all been cancelled! By the time I told Wes this news I had calmed down & decided we wouldn't be the only ones suffering this glitch. When we arrived at the ground, everyone was having trouble checking in as the sun was so bright. The attendants couldn't see the green ticks & the green vaccination certificates on our phones. After about 20 minutes of panic, we made our way to the turnstiles, only to discover a friendly young man ready to believe what happened to our tickets & let us in. We learnt later that both Ticketek & Medicare had crashed, making life very difficult for everyone. 

The cricket was slow to start with, but then Warner & Labuschagne got going & it was most enjoyable. We were amazed that Steve Smith got a standing ovation at the Adelaide Oval when he came out to bat - not sure that will happen at the MCG. The other surprise was the enthusiastic singing of our National dirge - taking hats off was not compulsory, but singing with gusto appeared to be!

On Friday we slept in after our long & stressful day and drove back to The Flying Fig for breakfast again, before driving to the Adelaide Market to get Wes a new pair of walking shoes. His boots had given up the ghost in Robe & he only had a pair of heavy boots to get him through. We were pleased with the lightweight, waterproof pair of Josef Siebel shoes we found that fitted perfectly. 

It was a stunning day at the cricket if you ignored the 38° heat. We cooled down with a Pimms at the dinner break and were grateful to be undercover and with the benefit of a slight breeze at the Riverview Stand end of the ground. 

Yesterday we made our final trip to The Flying Fig, where we both had the omelette & pots of tea, before heading to Rundle Mall to see if we could replace a few clothing items that were on their last legs. We were totally successful and came home to pack so we can get away early today. 

Our last day at the cricket was very entertaining, as,  after batting well for the first session, the Poms capitulated and were lucky not to be forced to follow on. We were surrounded by young men from NSW, none of them wearing masks unless they went to get drinks! Masks are mandatory but no-one was policing the rule except at the entrance & at food & drink outlets. Our SMS tickets finally worked, we had another Pimms to celebrate and thoroughly enjoyed our final hours in Adelaide.

A rare selfie taken under our favourite Moreton Bay fig outside the Adelaide Oval

Robe Summer Dispatch - Sunday, 12th December 2021

 

Another beauty from FB - I am sure that visitors to our place feel as though they are being frisked by our very friendly labs

We got ourselves in holiday mode last Sunday with a very yummy breakfast at Pancho, across the road from the Primary School. It is a tiny café with great service, a small menu & excellent food. I particularly enjoy their omelettes & Wes loves their bacon. We sat outside, which was OK as we were warmly dressed, unlike quite a few visitors to town who hadn't brought clothes for Daylesford's wintry mornings. Here are photos of Wes tucking in & me about to start!

That afternoon Wes took the boys to Creswick Boarding Kennels for their fortnight stay. Meanwhile I washed all their bedding, vacuumed everywhere & cleaned all their bowls in preparation for their return on 20th December. 

We spent Monday visiting Leanne to celebrate her birthday a few days early with her. She was delighted & we had fish & chips for lunch - a rare treat for someone who lives on their own. Wes helped her get her Christmas decorations up, while I did back-ups on her computer & reinstalled her printer which had gone offline.

On Tuesday, Wes cleaned the main & small deckings & applied two coats of the steel grey colour we think looks so good with our house. It was a big job & the weather wasn't helpful early, but the sun did come out & dry everywhere in time for him to get the second coat done. This is one of those jobs that is very hard to do when Labradors are trying to assist. 

We had a busy morning the next day before setting off - packed, cleaned up, put everything back on the decking, picked up prescriptions. filled up with petrol & had a COVID-19 test. This last activity was done very well - there is a category for Travelling Interstate, which means fewer questions, as neither of us had any symptoms other than my usual asthmatic cough. 21 hours later we had our texts telling us the results were negative.

Our drive to Port Campbell was very different from what we expected. There were roadworks everywhere in Ballarat and we follow the directions of our navigational guide. She eventually decided we must have wanted to travel on back roads & so we did, stopping for tuna & lettuce sandwiches & hot drinks at the Blue Yabby Café in Lismore. 

Our accommodation was OK - roomy everywhere except the bedroom, where the sliding door of the robes opened onto an ironing board, which promptly fell out. It was very French, with minimum space between the robes & the bed. We decided not to unpack & lived out of our suitcases on the floor instead, which I hate. The shower was hot & had good pressure, which made up for the dreadful bed with squeaky sheets.

We had a lovely walk around the town, ending up at the famous Port Campbell pier with its crane & long history of shipwrecks & rescues. All the while we were keeping an ear on the cricket - an amazing first day of the Brisbane Ashes Test with the Poms all out for 147.

That night we had dinner at 12 Rocks Beach Bar & Café, oysters followed by seafood pasta. The service was excellent & we tried a local
Timboon whisky & gin before enjoying prosecco with our meals. 

Our wonderful waitress, Lily, is in the background with our proseccos

On Thursday, we decided to go for a long drive on The Great Ocean Road. We had breakfast beforehand at Grassroots Café, which has rhubarb, nasturtiums & artichokes growing in its front garden.

We loved seeing The Twelve Apostles, as well as Loch Ard Gorge, and benefitted from small crowds everywhere as we are travelling before most people go on Christmas holidays. Unfortunately, I suffered from car sickness after a few too many kms of windy roads, so we headed back (again on back roads as there were more roadworks) to Timboon, to visit the Timboon Railway Shed Distillery. This was a wonderful experience - COVID protocols firmly in place & a smiling, friendly young man to greet us. We started with hot drinks and Wes moved onto their single malt Christie's Cut whisky, which he loved!

We decided to have a quiet day on Friday after a lovely walk along the cliff's edge and breakfast back at Grassroots Café. We took advantage of the free time to catch up with emails & were shocked to open one from Sue Flight, partner of Dee Bonavia, letting us know that Dee had died back in October. We met Dee when we were Insurance Brokers and loved our time spent with her. I'm sure everyone who worked at Maloney Insurance Brokers felt the same & will be sad to read this. Dee had cancer, which settled down for a couple of years, but then came back with a vengeance. RIP Dee.

Yesterday we listened to the Test as we drove from Port Campbell to Robe, where we will be until Wednesday. When we reached the South Australian Border, we were met by a delightful young policewoman, who checked all our credentials, streamlined the COVID protocols & directed us to Mt Gambier Showgrounds to get tested again. We drove in there about 15 minutes later to find no queues at all. This was our first experience of drive through testing & it went very smoothly. We are still waiting for results, but don't have to quarantine while we wait. 

Last night we ate an early dinner at Sails, which is the best place for seafood in Robe. Wes had a flounder with broccolini, and I enjoyed Ocean trout fish cakes with a Thai salad. We drank a bottle of Mr Rigg's Montepulciano. This is a lighter styled red wine, very Italian & perfect with our seafood. 

This morning we got up at 6am for a walk around the Marina & jetties. We are staying on the Marina itself, which is a beautiful position, although we don't have a view of the water from our room. We'll be off to breakfast soon & are planning a relaxing day.

Daylesford Summer Dispatch - Sunday, 5th December 2021

 
Not Snoopy, but thanks to FB, good for a laugh!

We thoroughly enjoyed the start of our week - after the Sunday Market, we came home, put everything away & were ready when our friends, Kathy & Ged, arrived from Burwood. They had been via the Sunday Market too, much to Yvonne's delight! We had time for a catch-up coffee before I drove us all in Pearl to the Convent Gallery, where we were booked in for brunch in the Bad Habits Café. We could not have wished for more - Beck Walker greeted us with a smile & showed us to a quiet table in the corner with views of the gardens; Marija popped in to say hello & give Wes a kiss for his birthday, and even Tina Banitska, the owner, came past with a tray of coffees. 

Ged, Kathy, Karen & Wes in Bad Habits café, about to attack our yummy breakfasts

After finishing brunch we headed for a tour of the Convent Gallery & were pleasantly surprised to find it still peaceful & quiet at 11am. The previous evening there had been a small wedding, and the bride, who did all the flowers, left them for everyone else to enjoy. We came back home via Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens, where everywhere was looking lush & green. Kathy & Ged stayed until about 1pm before they set off to meander home. What a wonderful time we all had together again!

Lewis & Morse chose to have a very disturbed night, which meant we took it in turns to pacify them, until Wes finally got up & dressed & sat in the lounge with them for an hour or so until they relaxed enough to go back to sleep. We suspect a possum was wandering around - possibly in one of Rob & Dene's oak trees, which caused Morse much distress & barking in the wee small hours.

On Monday, we had our last School for the year and spent it learning how to embed a Jacquie Lawson e-card into our Christmas email, writing the email & sending them off. Of course, I got carried away with my new knowledge & forgot to attach our Christmas letter, so had to send it all again - my apologies to anyone who wondered what had happened.

A variation on a theme - Morse & Lewis in each other's bed!

We've enjoyed Zooming with various friends & family during the week - I spoke twice with Leanne, caught up with Terry Borg, and spent time with Kathy & Karen - all on Zoom; while Wes chatted with Barbara twice; joined an ALP webinar; spent quality time with cousins; listened to an impressive interview by the Lowy Institute Think Tank, and even met with a few local blokes over lunch at the Royal Hotel to celebrate David Hall's 90th birthday.

Judi & I met up to play Mah Jong - my last game for the year. Sadly Dot wasn't well enough to join us and I managed to twice win the game with the last tile. If we had been scoring, that is worth heaps 🤣🤣 

Can't play Mah Jong without our pots of Jasmine tea!

On Thursday, Judi & I met again at the launch by Emma Ford of EKO's new range of signature products. We were very impressed with the new signage as we walked in, where we were greeted with smiles, non-alcoholic punch & mince pies, while we looked at the new products. We both bought some Christmas gifts and vouchers & had our photo taken with Emma... a bit like visiting Santa!

The next morning I headed off to Spring Park Nursery to collect some beautifully wrapped pots of Queen of Hearts petunias to give as gifts back to Emma, Sam, Marija & Juls - four wonderful women who have looked after me in various ways this year. 

Meanwhile, Wes spent some quality time in our back garden, mowing, trimming & getting everything shipshape to be left for 12 days while we travel to Adelaide, via Port Campbell & Robe, for the first three days of the Pink Ball Day/Night Ashes Test. When we requested permission to travel into South Australia yesterday, we were allowed, provided we had a negative COVID test within 72 hours beforehand. So we'll do that here before we leave.

This morning we've had a good long peaceful walk around Lake Daylesford with Lewis & Morse, who go into kennels this afternoon, which is earlier than they need, but enables us to spend time with Leanne tomorrow without worrying, and also lets Wes put a coat or two of stain on the main decking before we go. 

Roses flanked by Christmas reindogs

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 28th November 2021

 

Snoopy being brutally honest!

We started our week with a memorable lunch with old friend, Bob White, at Blackwood Ridge Nursery & Café. It was lovely to be there again & spend time together over a stunning meal. As we left, we couldn't resist buying a gorgeous purple clematis, after seeing how well they have grown next door at Glen's place. 

Wes, Karen & Bob in the Garden Room

It's been a big week for Zooming - Mike & Linda Kirby in Hope Island; Jeff Hoolihan in Lincolnshire; Leanne in Strathmore twice; Terry Borg in Burwood, and Karen Stevenson in her new home in Port Melbourne. As well, Wes has been in touch with Barbara Simpson in New Zealand twice; had a good chat with his Overseas Friends, and watched a poetry book launch in India. 

School on Monday was quite dramatic - we had decided to look at all the other options available on Google, just in case there was something we didn't know about & might love as much as Keep. There wasn't, but we realised we were frustrated by Google Travel, which is great at putting your trip details into your Calendar, but which doesn't allow you to share a trip until it is completed! This is most annoying as we each book items on our own desktops & we would like to be able to share this information. We decided to see what our old friend, Steve Dotto, thought & he told us he prefers to use Tripit, which allows you to fully share, as well as permitting viewers, who can't make any changes. This is most useful for when we need to let neighbours or family know when & where we will be away. So we took the plunge & are hopeful that it will be a useful tool. 

The other drama in the week was the arrival of Lewis & Morse in our bedroom at 4.30am one morning. We had forgotten to slide over the heavy glass door onto the decking & it is obvious that Lewis tries to open the doors when he wakes up & this time he was successful, as the flywire screen is a doddle. Needless to say they were escorted, singing & dancing, out of our room & back to their own bedroom until 5.25am, which is the offical getting up time. 

Lewis & Morse paying attention for a change

We've had enough rain for the roses to be looking stunning again. Wes worked hard pruning & feeding them & all that TLC is bearing fruit as we are able to pick enough for a couple of vases ourselves & another for Dene each week, as well as a few when we visit Leanne. 

The Hepburn Shire Council has made a couple of disappointing decisions this week - firstly to abandon all plans to finish the renovation of The Rex, which was to house Council officers, the Library, the Information Centre & the Cinema. The second was to discontinue aged care & disability care services. Both these decisions are upsetting and mystifying. Why does the Council exist if not for the welfare of its residents?

Yesterday was a very special day - we had been invited to the family lunch celebration of Joyce & Manny Spiteri's 50th Wedding Anniversary at an Italian restaurant in Coburg. We were so thrilled to be there, catching up with Joyce & Manny & their kids - Mark, Shane, Matthew & Jessica - their partners - Grace, Melinda, Sara & Geoff & the eight grandkids, three of which we had only seen in photos. We first met Joyce at the start of 1973, when she was working in the Productivity Promotion Council (which was part of the Dept of Labour) & we've been good friends ever since - being made welcome at all their family celebrations. Joyce was the first person we employed when we opened our Insurance Broking business.

Joyce & Manny cutting their cake

This morning, after the Sunday Market, we are meeting another pair of old friends, Kathy & Gerard Lazzaro, for brunch at the Convent Gallery. They rang to see if we were free for a visit & we were delighted to say yes. I first met Kathy in September 1972 & she & Ged have also involved us in their family, even allowing me to take their first-born, David, to the footy from the age of 4 (to barrack for Collingwood of course).

Finally, we were amazed to receive a very generous parcel from Rosanna & David during this week. Rosanna worked for us at Maloney Insurance Brokers, even though she wasn't a mother of four - like Joyce & Karen Stevenson. A highlight in the parcel was a pair of Christmas pillowslips for Lewis & Morse - they were thrilled to have something other than hand-me-downs 🤣🤣

 

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 21st November 2021

We started our week with a visit to Leanne after the Sunday Market and had such a good run there & back, we decided Sundays could be the best day for visiting. The three of us achieved quite a bit, especially as there hadn't been anyone from NDIS for 10 days. 

On Monday, we both had medical appointments in different parts of Ballarat at different times of the morning, so abandoned any thoughts of School and set off - me at 9.15am & Wes about an hour later. I had to have a bone density scan in Howitt Street & was lucky enough to get a park outside. Wes had an ECG in one of the many offshoots of St John of God Hospital. He managed a haircut on the way at the $10 barber & came home about 90 minutes after me. Lewis & Morse were pleased to see me arrive home, but that was nothing to the reception he received 🤣🤣.

It's been a quiet week for Zoom chats - I spoke with Leanne twice as well as Kathy; and Wes had his usual catch ups with Barbara, who bought him a Lotto ticket as New Zealand lost the T20 World Cup Final. What a win that was - the Kiwis must have been very confident after Kane Williamson's stunning innings, but David Warner & Mitch Marsh in particular had other ideas and won with 7 balls to spare. 

On Tuesday, Wes spent time with Gillie Gough, while I had a catch up with Nick Massaro, who retired from massaging a year ago. I do miss him & our monthly chat & it was good to see him looking so well & happy & busy in retirement. We went to Muffins & More, where we were warmly greeted & Kelly thought she had missed a day and that I was there for Mah Jong.

Wednesday was Wes's birthday - I had organised a box of Charles Melton Rose of Virginia rosé - his favourite tipple & it arrived the day before, which was perfect. Lewis & Morse gave him a bottle of Edradour whisky, another favourite, and we celebrated with high tea at the Convent Gallery in company with his great-nephew, Kyahl, and his wife, Lauren. Kyahl is a director of short films, as well as an stage actor/singer & Lauren organises Speakers and Conferences for Melb Uni on Sex Discrimination and Equal Opportunity. Here is a link to one of Kyahl's recent short films, called Ripples - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7vaBJzbgvM

Loz, Kyahl, Wes & Karen upstairs at the Convent Gallery

On Thursday we settled back to normal life - Wes washed both cars after tackling the frog pond in the front garden. I had a good chat with Kathy Lazzaro and headed into town for a few chores afterwards. 

The rest of the week was similar - the garden got much of our attention, and once everywhere was mowed, it all looked good. There were enough roses for us & Dene next door, now that the weather is getting warmer. 

Yesterday we overdosed on WBBL cricket - the last weekend before the finals, and had a unsuccessful mystery trifecta on the Ballarat Cup, the last official day of the Victorian Spring Racing Carnival. You can see the interest from Morse & Lewis below.

Today we are off to the Sunday Market on a cold, but sunny morning. Later we are driving to Trentham to pick up Bob White & the three of us are having lunch at Blackwood Ridge Garden Room Restaurant, where Wes & I celebrated our Anniversary back in June, just after the terrible storms. We are thrilled to be returning to this exciting boutique set menu dining room in the middle of nowhere!

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 14th November, 2021

 

Our week started well with a walk around Lake Daylesford followed by the Sunday Market, where we purchased lots of fruit & vegetables, eggs, huge dog bones & chilli olives. Afterwards we met Judi & Janine for breakfast at Koukla, where we wrestled with the QR code menu & enjoyed each other's company, if not the meals & drinks. We decided when we got back home that it would be best to put the Breakfast Group into hibernation until after Christmas when we might once again be able to go to the Woodshed Cafe. It may be that after 16 years the weekly breakfast has outlived its usefulness & it might be time to look at different ways of catching up - even just monthly. 

On Monday's School, we watched a lecture from the Wheeler Centre on the Australian poet, Judith Wright. The lecture was given by another Australian poet, Chris Wallace-Crabbe, who we both first met at Melbourne Uni. He read her poems beautifully & gave us an insight into the influences that drove her work. 

Wes got stuck into the garden for much of the week - bulk weeding, mowing, trimming & admiring. We picked our first little bunch of roses & I was able to give our neighbour, Dene, a small bouquet as well. Meanwhile, I fed all the vegetables & herbs, staked the tomatoes & removed the snails wherever I found them. 

We've been busy with Zoom chats again this week - Wes spoke with Barbara twice; enjoyed a long discussion with the Jackson 8, and had a good catch up with his cousins; as well I chatted twice with Leanne as well as Jeff in Lincolnshire, Jan in Maleny and Kathy & Karen in Melbourne. I just love this way of staying in touch - so much more personal than a phone call. 

Our neighbour, Glen Tandberg, invited us in to her backyward to celebrate the safe arrival of Marlowe. Dene was in Melbourne, but Rob was able to join in and we had a wonderful time drinking Peter Rumball Sparkling Shiraz, nibbling on cheese & bikkies, and chatting. It was a lovely normal thing to do. As we left, we were shown around her new kitchen, which is a beautiful renovation of a very basic, old, neglected space.

On 11th November, our local Federal MP, Catherine King, had asked us to lay a wreath on her behalf at Daylesford Cenotaph. This is a very low-key ceremony compared to ANZAC Day, when there is a march & many more wreaths. We did have a lone piper and young girls from the two state schools sang Advance Australia Fair when the soloist didn't turn up.                                                                      

                                        

Cr Jen Bray & Mayor, Lesley Hewitt laying a wreath outside the Daylesford Cenotaph, &

me wearing a knitted poppy with one of Fraser Gibson's Army coat buttons in the middle

As well, I have fitted in a manicure with Juls and a fringe trim with Lyndal - both appointments occured in their homes, where each has a dedicated studio. Juls starts talking the minute you enter & doesn't stop until she is walking you out the door so she can help you with your seatbelt. Lyndal has already put in a big morning before I see her at 9.30am, as she cares for & races trotters with her father, Glenn. They feed, groom, and walk the horses each morning & she finds it much easier to be ready for her first client now that she doesn't have to travel into her former salon in Howe Street. 

The other big excitement this week was the arrival of two boxes of Google pixel buds. As a Telstra Plus customer, I had enough points to redeem these upmarket items & we have had fun connecting them to our phones, computers & TVs. Wes is finding them a big help when he is Zooming with a few people - the sound is clearer as it comes straight into his ears. He can also listen to stuff on Spotify while I am writing this for example, & don't want to be distracted. We haven't quite mastered the art 100%, but we are learning and enjoying the experience!

During a particularly wet afternoon, I watched a delightful 90 minute film, recommended by Karen Stevenson, called This Beautiful Fantastic. Not a blokes' film by any means, but a quirky fun story, starring Tom Wilkinson among others. It's on SBS On Demand, (under Comedy) & available until 28th November if you are interested. 

We're off to visit Leanne again this morning after the Sunday Market. It will be lovely to see her again after only a fortnight. Among other things, we'll probably have a chat about Australia's chances against New Zealand in tonight's T20 World Cup Final. The 1am starting time makes it a bit hard to watch - we'll have to wake up to the news tomorrow.

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday 7th November 2021

We had a wonderful trip to Strathmore last Sunday morning to visit Leanne. After the Sunday Market, we came home, put everything away, gave the boys huge marrow bones & set off in Pearl, with fingers & toes crossed. We were in luck, there wasn't too much traffic either way & we only saw three hoon drivers & they were all in Strathmore! I had found the first 5 roses to pick & we went down bearing gifts, only to receive even more. Leanne was excited & had baked a carrot cake in our honour. Wes took her car for a spin & filled it up with petrol, thinking to get it washed as well, but the carwash broke down just as he started & was going to be out of action for some hours. Glen very kindly kept an ear & eye out for Lewis & Morse & they were waiting on the dog decking when we returned. 

A lovely photo of arms & legs akimbo for those who like the challenge of finding whose limbs are where!

We decided to walk around the Botanic Gardens on Monday morning for a change, especially as I hadn't seen them for some weeks & they are looking so beautiful with irises, rhodadendrons & azaleas in profusion. Wes took this great photo as we got back to the car. 

On Tuesday we decided to keep with our 4-horse quinellas & were lucky enough to have 4 collects, including the Melbourne Cup, where the stunning Verry Elleegant was too good for the raging favourite, Incentivise, & won by 4 lengths. We had that quinella, but even if we hadn't we would have been just as thrilled as she is such a classy horse. 

Dot, Judi & I finally met again for Mah Jong on Wednesday & were pleased to see Muffins & More doing a roaring trade, mostly with locals, although there were some visitors. Kelly met them at the door & made sure they had checked in & were double vaccinated. We had a fun time, even though we were a bit rusty after all these weeks. 

After 40mls of rain in less than 24 hours, we were glad to wake to a dry, but windy morning on Thursday. After chatting with Kathy & Karen, I headed into town with a list of chores, all of which I achieved. Everyone I spoke to had been busy on the long weekend, but were expecting to be even busier this weekend. Wes & I continued with our 4-horse quinellas on Oaks Day. We were successful with two and thoroughly enjoyed another wonderful day of racing. 

While I was sitting at my desk on Friday, this kookaburra perched on Fawlty Towers for about 30 minutes

Wes was keen to get lots of weeding done after 40mls of rain & everywhere out the front is looking so much better for his work. I planted some basil around the tomatoes & we continued to pick bush peas from our four plants that are so prolific. Lewis & Morse turned 3 on Friday, so we gave them dog biscuits covered in Vegemite & sang Happy Birthday with Leanne on Zoom participating. She couldn't sing for laughing! 

I think all of Australia rejoiced when we woke on Wednesday to the news that 6-year old Cleo had been found safe & sound in Carnarvon. After 19 days, we were all sure that she was dead & this news was wonderful. Even the Western Australian Premier, Mark McGowan, was photographed visiting her at home when she was released from hospital. He gave her two teddies, named Cameron & Rod after the policemen that found her, but she wasn't impressed with those names!

Yesterday was busy early with a lovely walk around Lake Daylesford followed by overdue baths for Lewis & Morse. We picked our horses for the final meeting (Stakes Day) of the Flemington Carnival & watched in amazement as we got the first three quinellas & were in the black early. It was another great day of racing & we've enjoyed being able to watch it and think about all the Carnivals we were lucky enough to see in person.

After the Sunday Market, we're off to Koukla to catch up with Judi & Janine - our first Breakfast Group meeting for quite some time. Most of the regulars are spending time with their family either here or interstate, now that we can finally travel again. 

Our neighbour, Glen, meeting her latest grand-daughter, Marlowe, for the first time yesterday

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 31st October 2021

 

Not too many people stand up to Shroeder

We started our week at the Daylesford Sunday Market, as usual, followed by a trip to Trentham for a bag of Bernie's Dutch Cream Potatoes, which are sold by the side of the road. I've never gotten tired of buying things like this - it really feels as though you are supporting the grower & the produce couldn't be fresher. 

On Monday, we discussed Christmas as our School - we need to think about our letter, make sure we have up to date addresses & emails & plan our lunch with Leanne. We were amazed looking back over the year at all that has happened, even though we have been in lockdown for so much of it. 

Not sure who is the more comfy - Lewis with his legs splayed or Morse with one of his in Lewis's ear

The next morning after lovely long chats with my aunt, Jeff, in Torksey Lock, Lincolnshire, and Leanne in Strathmore, I headed off to Muffins & More for a catch up with Judi. We spent a very pleasant hour chatting over tea & toasties & made a date with the owner, Kelly, to resume Mah Jong this coming Wednesday morning. 

When I arrived back home, Wes had organised for us to watch a Scottish film called Sunset Song, which was made (with the help of Luxembourg) in 2015. It is quite long - 2.25 hours, but rivetting. It was a book, which was made into a play & now a film set at the start of the Great War and dealing with the hardships endured by a young daughter of a farmer. It is available on SBS On Demand if you are interested.That afternoon I spent at EKO, having a long overdue facial & foot massage with Emma. 

On Wednesday Sandra cleaned, so Wes spent the morning in the garden - weeding, trimming & mowing. He found a rose that had flowered & another iris, as well as our carnations, Banksia rose (that now covers an arbour) and seaside daisies. The poppies are about to open & in the front, our bush peas are thriving. Meanwhile, I did deliveries, picked up 8 tomato plants at Spring Park Nursery, which has endless wonderful varieties, pumped water at Leitches Creek & arrived home in time to get changed for lunch at Larder with Gillie. 

That was an interesting experience - haven't eaten there in a long time & I knew none of the staff, so had to produce my licence to show that I am a local. Gillie & I had nearly 90 minutes together in peace & quiet as density numbers still applied. I made the mistake of ordering scrambled eggs on crumpets (yummy, but filling) & wasn't really able to eat dinner that night. Wes cancelled the tuna steaks & we played around with cheeses, bread & butter cucumbers & steamed asparagus spears. 

On Thursday, after Wes had an excellent Zoom on China with the Jackson 8 & I'd had an equally enjoyable chat with Kathy & Karen, we headed off to the Convent Gallery for brunch. We had booked the table in the window, which gives us a view of the gardens & were warmly greeted by Marija, who is front of house & Beck, who is an excellent & caring member of staff. Our breakfasts were beautiful & we enjoyed spending time together in a peaceful & quiet environment. 

Wes took this photo as the sun came through the window

We woke at 5.10am on Friday as Lewis & Morse joyously found their way into our bedroom. We had experienced wild storms & strong winds & somehow Lewis had managed to slide open the heavy glass door that separates our decking from the kitchen. There didn't seem any point going back to sleep, so we got up, fed them their breakfast & rescued our copy of the Age, with a view to tea & toast & an early read. Suddenly at 5.30 the house was plunged into darkness, and we realised very quickly this wasn't just our house, but all of Daylesford. Later we discovered it was a lot of Victoria. Powercor sent us a message saying we should have power again by 2pm, then 3pm & finally by 8pm. 

We got dressed warmly, lit the fire and cuddled the boys for much of the morning. Neighbour, Glen, provided us with a thermos of hot water & offered us a portable gas stove, but we decided the barbecue would be enough to make dinner if the power still wasn't on. At lunchtime, we had a brandy & dry, a glass of red wine & a cheese platter to revive us. I must confess to turning on the ceiling fans a couple of times in the afternoon to get rid of smoke from the fire & being quite perplexed that they weren't working 🤣

The power came on unexpectedly just after 4pm, when Wes had recharged our mobiles by sitting in the car with the engine running & the boys sleeping in the back. We checked that our computers & TVs were still working OK & around 6pm Wes started cooking our dinner (remember the 5.10am start). The power suddenly went off again, but came back before 8pm & dinner was rescued. Needless to say we were in bed straight after we had eaten. 

Yesterday morning, Wes had suggested we have a trial run eating breakfast at Koukla, where the Breakfast Group is meeting next Sunday. We are so pleased we did, as there were a few things to learn. We wanted to sit outside, so checked in & went looking for menus, which are accessed by the QR Codes on each table. We duly found the menu, ordered & then waited. My tea only arrived after three requests for it - the staff were friendly, but not as helpful as they could have been. Fingers crossed it works better next Sunday - at least we are prepared for these issues. 

Me again, sitting outside, masked & sorting out how to get to the Koukla menu

We spent the rest of the day backing horses, gardening & catching up on computer stuff that we couldn't do the day before. I planted all our tomatoes (10 in total - 6 different varieties) & some more chillis, while Wes filled up our green bin with weeds from the front garden. Derby Day is always a very special day on the racing calendar & we remembered many happy times we spent at Flemington with friends over the years. We decided to box four horses in a quinella in each race & were lucky enough to win in 4 out of the 9 races. We now have a nice little nest egg to spend on the Melbourne Cup races this Tuesday.