Sometimes it's better not to know!
In my last letter, I mentioned the book, The Season, by Helen Garner, and have been thrilled with the response. Thanks to Cheryl Metcalfe in Sydney for letting me know she had downloaded it onto her kindle and it really resonated with her watching her grandsons playing Aussie Rules in the ACT. Our neighbour, Glen, and her daughter, Sarah, both loved it too with Sarah's son, Matt, playing for Daylesford Under 18s, and Glen going to games rain, hail or shine (and sometimes all three at once).
On Monday morning, I had another appointment in Ballarat to have two more fillings replaced by my dentist, Anna, at Ashmore Dentistry. Wes very kindly drove me there and back, and spent his downtime wisely. The most important thing to be done was to visit Windscreens O'Brien as we got a chip in Pearl's windscreen on Saturday on our way back from visiting Leanne. He had a very good experience there and the screen will be replaced soon. Then he visited JB Hi-Fi, as I had bought a new trannie from them when I was in Melbourne for the Women's Ashes Test, and discovered it was digital, although I had been assured it wasn't. It turns out to be both analogue & digital, which makes it OK for live sport. Finally he went to Dan Murphy's and replenished our whisky, gin & brandy supplies.
While I chatted with Leanne on Tuesday, Wes & Morse went in search of manure and came home with plenty, which Wes has been distributing around the garden, especially near the roses. The mornings this week have been very pleasant with the heat not hitting us until mid-afternoon, so we are getting lots done.
Judi & I played Mah Jong again - we both played some interesting games and I was the early winner, but Judi came home with a rush, so we were both pleased with our efforts. Before Mah Jong, I had driven to Spring Park Nursery to deliver newspapers to Chris, who has just returned from a cruise and wanted to tell me how frightening it was to be boarding a plane just as he got a message saying there was a fire in Eganstown. It was across the road from the Nursery, where a fire had been lit in a 10-gallon drum and left alight while the owners drove to Melbourne. Fortunately, other neighbours spotted it and the CFA put the fire out before it caused any damage.
During the week, a small bird found itself in our bedroom and was panicking and hiding under the bed. I removed the flywire-screens, opened the windows & closed the doors, and when I returned an hour later, there was no bird under the bed. Phew!
On Friday morning we decided to have breakfast at the Glenlyon General Store, as it has new owners. We haven't been back for 6 years when I booked the Breakfast Group in one Sunday morning, and it was a debacle. This was a very pleasant experience and we'll definitely be back - the coffee was good, and they even had Jasmine tea, served in proper teacups.
Me with smoked salmon and potato rosti on spinach
Later that day we had a visit from Robyn, of Taylor & Stirling blinds, to get a quote for some more blinds. One of the lounge windows needs a day blind, four of the study windows need blackout blinds, and we'd like a day blind for the glass study door. We had originally thought of getting outdoor blinds, but the wind blows them around too much, and more things can go wrong!
We've been enjoying the AFL practice games this week - even though the Australian men are playing in the ICC ODI World Cup Semis in Pakistan, we are more than ready for footy to begin again. Collingwood played Richmond on Wednesday night and I was pleased to see our older recruits slotting into the team well. Richmond were trialling a lot of very young recruits, who will all be better off for playing in a serious practice match. Carlton faced GWS on Friday night & won easily with no injuries, which is such a bonus.
The happiest cucumber plant we've ever had - loving life in the greenhouse
Yesterday we had been invited by Sue & Vin Lyttleton to celebrate their 80th birthdays with a lunch - a lovely invitation and one we were able to accept with some confidence as they live 3 minutes away by car. We lasted 90 minutes and enjoyed catching up with lots of old friends among the guests. Their house is perfectly suited to entertaining with lots of open plan rooms & decking. Gary Thomas from Spade to Blade did the catering, which was perfect - lots of small bites, which just kept on coming. The highlight for me was seeing Emma Ford, who is a friend of the Lyttleton family, and a much loved person in my life.
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