Daylesford Winter Dispatch - Sunday, 1st August 2021

 

Wes is the writer in our family & this is for him 😊

Thanks to everyone who responded to my reports of our snow flurries - it was lovely to know you were reading & thinking of us. Sadly the snow didn't last, but the cold did and it was Tuesday before the sun started shining again. Wes promptly got out into the garden & did wonders moving pots and making decisions for Spring. We had discussed our fruit trees for this week's School, and decided to move some of the citrus out to the front up against the brick wall, which stays warm most of the time. The rest will get a severe pruning & admonition to be abundant with produce in 2022!

We've been glued to the Olympic swimming & so proud of all our Aussies, who have been performing at their best in front of their peers from the rest of the world. There have been plenty of other wonderful stories from all around the world in all the disciplines - just doing your best time can be a win for some of these athletes. 

Lewis & Morse enjoying the Women's Road Race

We have been given some quite considerable freedoms since Tuesday night - about to travel freely in Victoria, have treatments, visit restaurants & gather in groups (but not in our homes). We still have to wear masks indoors & outside, but that just seems very sensible & a small price to pay to avoid getting the Delta strain of COVID-19. 

Among the many Zooms & phone chats I've had this week, my favourite is probably the friend in Wheatsheaf, who told me that a pregnant kangaroo had landed up at her back door wanting help. She took her to the Wildlife Sanctuary and they rang her two days later to say she could collect the kangaroo, but did she realise that it likes toast for breakfast & prefers sitting at the table to eating it outside. My friend was planning to turn one of her sheds into a home with straw on the floor & an 8-slice toaster nearby. 😊😊

Judi & I met for tea & toasties at Muffins & More on Wednesday morning. We decided playing Mah Jong is not within the spirit of our new freedoms, but wanted to catch up & support Kelly & her staff who are so very good to us. There weren't many customers, so we were very pleased we did & left just before we were blasted out by some very strong wind & rain. 

We did enjoy being able to catch up with neighbour, Glen, outside Virgin Café, on Friday morning. Lewis & Morse were delighted, and took only a short time to settle down. We are so lucky to have these opportunities to spend time with friends & family as the numbers in Victoria continue to drop. 

Wes watching the Olympics with Lewis & Morse

On Friday, the Blues brought their A game to beat St Kilda comfortably, much to the delight of our household & many others to judge by the number of texts going to & from Wes's phone. We did keep an eye on the soccer & were delighted to see the Matildas beat the Poms in the soccer quarter finals in a gutsy game that went to extra time. 

Yesterday it was my turn to be proud as the Pies stunned the Eagles with the first eight goals of the match & finished up winning by 50 points. It has been rare this year that both our teams have won & we have had plenty to chat about on our early morning walks around Lake Daylesford. 

We're about to head out for our usual Sunday activities and will be able to take Lewis & Morse to the Market, before meeting friends for breakfast at Woodshed Café. It's the last morning of swimming, so we'll enjoy that before catching up on the athletics.

This daphne was a cutting from Nick Massaro a couple of years ago & it certainly likes the spot we chose for it