Daylesford Winter Dispatch - Sunday, 30th June 2024

 
Another one for the lovers of Sally

We started our week with a frosty trip to the Sunday Market, where Yvonne had most of our stuff ready and waiting. Ken was behind in his chores and Morse had to wait for his pear treat, which he didn't do with a very good grace, much to our embarassment! It turned into another sunny day and we were treated to a visit by our neighbours, James & Yoko, before they returned to Melbourne. Yoko was due to fly out to Japan last Friday, with three other teachers and 15 students for a fortnight. She was very excited and heading off to Queen Victoria Market to get souvenirs and gifts to take with her.

On Monday, I did our weekly shopping and brought home scrolls for breakfast. We cancelled School as I wasn't quite up to it, but Wes was able to spend the morning in the back yard - clipping, tidying & watering. At midday, we had a lovely Zoom chat with Mike & Linda Kirby in Queensland. Their daughter, Lauren, and her partner, had flown the coop and driven to Melbourne over the weekend, and they were happily getting used to the new normal.

The next morning I had an early catch up with Jeff in Lincolnshire, followed by a Zoom with Leanne. It was great to catch up with Jeff, who had been treated to a lovely stay in Manchester with my brother, Peter, and his wife, Anka; as well as her daughter, Leigh, and husband, Simon. They ate, drank & sightsaw very well indeed.

Meanwhile, Wes's phone decided to play up very badly, so he drove to the Telstra shop in Wendouree to see if they could fix it for him, as the online help wasn't sufficient. He was successful and his phone no longer assumes he is stupid and needs audible instructions to do anything! While he was in Ballarat, he picked up some fish, replenished our whisky & brandy supplies, and got out cash from the NAB ATM. We need it for Jeff, the Dog Treat man and occasionally for Yvonne when her Square doesn't work when there is no wi-fi signal at the Sunday Market, as well as for fish & chips at Daylesford Fish shop, which is strictly cash only. 

Morse doing acrobatics in the study

I have just finished reading a stunning book, which was recommended by Kathy Lazzaro - Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens - set in Sydney & Sri Lanka. It won the Miles Franklin Award last year for Shankari Chandran, who was raised in Canberra. It is a very powerful story about family, community, friendship & racism and I recommend it highly. 

On Wednesday morning, we woke to constant rain, which meant an early breakfast for Morse. It was still foggy at 10am, which felt very wintry indeed. Later that morning we attended Dot Smith's funeral at Verey's. There was a good crowd and we enjoyed listening to her daughter, Julia, and son, Michael, speak, as well as one of her grand-daughters, Emily. When I first met Dot, all the grandkids were young and used to come with her to U3A events during School Holidays when they stayed with her & John. They are all adults now, of course, and towered over Dot.

This lovely photo of John & Dot was taken at Café 3640 in Daylesford in 2008, where Kim & Gary looked after us locals beautifully for some years. 

There were so many people at the funeral I knew or knew of - probably half the room. It was good to catch up with John, who was looking better than we expected; and to see old friends like Sandra Frost, Denise Longmire, John Meir and Kim Lyden. Kim & I did reminisce about Café 3460 before the ceremony started. We left before the refreshments were served, as I was feeling I needed to go home after all the emotion of saying goodbye to Dot.

The next morning, Wes led a very successful Jackson Group Zoom chat about Housing, which encouraged each participant to speak about his/her country and what each would do differently. Then it was my turn to host our Old Friends, where we covered a multitude of topics, before it was time for me to go and Kathy took over as host.

We had twice postponed going to Bendigo Art Gallery, to see their Paris Impressionists Exhibition and we were determined not to miss out again. We loved everything about the Exhibition and recommend it highly - it is very well set out, easy to follow, and there weren't too many people allowed in at any time. We spent about an hour there, by which time my head was spinning and we decided to come home rather than have lunch at their café.

On Friday morning, after my Zoom with Leanne, I met our neighbour, Glen, for breakfast at Pancho Café, where we caught up on some of our news. It has been weeks since we have been able to chat - first Glen went on a holiday, then she caught the virus, and just as she was recovering, I had bronchial-asthma followed by the virus - finally we were both well enough and it was lovely.

Here is Glen looking aghast when her small brioche arrives! It was yummy and she took home what she couldn't eat.

Yesterday was a dreary day, so we lit the fire after lunch and spent the afternoon watching footy games, most of which were exciting and close, especially the Collingwood match against Gold Coast up there, where the Suns pulled off a great victory by 11 points. Earlier Freo had beaten ladder leaders, Sydney, by 1 point at the SCG, which was an amazing result. We were asleep before Geelong beat Essendon, who had been ahead of them on the ladder, and Adelaide did the same to Greater Western Sydney. The Blues play Richmond this afternoon, and Wes will be hoping that trend doesn't continue!