Daylesford Christmas Dispatch - Sunday, 25th December 2022

The spirit of Christmas is alive & well!

There is no Sunday Market this morning - the only time it doesn't operate is when Christmas Day falls on a Sunday. However, to look after their regulars, the Market was held on Friday afternoon between 4pm & 8pm. Perfect solution for us, although Morse was confused & wouldn't eat his pear pieces, so Wes had to put them in his pocket, rather than offend Yvonne.

We are heading out to Cliffy's shortly to buy hot drinks along with lots of other Daylesford & Hepburn friends. This is a lovely gesture by Liam Thorneycroft, who had the idea & raises money for the CFA (Country Fire Authority) each Christmas Day. We've already bought our raffle tickets online with fingers crossed as there are some great prizes to be won. 

Last Sunday, we visited Leanne, to help her with preparations for lunch today, and to talk through the latest with NDIS, as she has experienced quite a few "no shows", which is very disheartening. Leanne was able to tell us about a lovely visit she had received from our sister, Paun, and her husband, Brian, who made a quick road trip to Victoria to catch up with family & friends. 

Stunning dogwood

This has been a warm & enjoyable week here in Daylesford:

• We've both spent time in the garden & it is looking beautiful with lots of rose, green grass (amazing at the end of December) & all the herbs & seedlings are doing well too.
• I've had a few indulgences - facial, remedial massage, manicure & brunch with Judi @Muffins & More café
• We've feasted on Western Australian rock lobsters one night and enjoyed a whole snapper last night, preceded by oysters
• We've had phone calls & Zooms with friends & families, as well as mourned the loss of Daylesford icon, Allan Wolf-Tasker, died last Tuesday, far too soon, of an aggressive cancer. 

Allan Wolf-Tasker in typical pose standing between our mutual friend, Glenn Mack, and Warren Maloney, at a Daylesford Wine Dinner at the Lake House in 2008

We've both driven more than we usually do this week & I've had to avoid ducks, bunnies, black wallabies & kangaroos on my various trips around the Shire. The ducks are silly & just don't know to get off the road. If they do decide to move, they usually split ranks & head off in different directions, much to the chagrin of the motorists banked up waiting for them to cross to safety. 

Morse has settled back into normal life with us - an early morning walk, breakfast, a snooze, a cuddle, helping in the garden or the kitchen, another snooze, another cuddle, an afternoon snooze, dinner & a serious cuddle before bed. He is spending more time in our bedroom overnight - he used to arrive about 4am, but some nights he is in position at 10pm!

Morse enjoying a cuddle with Wes & an old friend (his mauve & green teddy which has been missing for some weeks)

Yesterday Wes spent working in the front garden as it had grown like Topsy & desperately needed a haircut all over. Meanwhile I picked up some last-minute items for us & Leanne, and started packing for my stay in Melbourne, starting this afternoon. Later Wes ventured into Vincent Street to pick up the oysters, and collected lemons from Candy & Hal's tree while he was out. I shared the lemons with Glen next door, who had her family with her sharing a Christmas Eve feast. She had run out of lemons & was most appreciative.