We had a very busy Sunday - Morse had an early walk with 4 bunnies to chase at Daylesford Cemetery; followed by a trip to Daylesford Market, and then we got on the road to Strathmore, arriving at Leanne's place at 9.30am. She was pleased to see us and we shared scrolls & croissants for brunch. We went for a stroll around her garden, which is looking very healthy, did some computer work & I taught her how to use WhatsApp for video calls.
That afternoon we were once more glued to the TV watching Ben Stokes resist our bowlers valiantly for a whole session. Once he went out, the rest of the Poms followed, and we had a small total of 65 to make. We lost two wickets on the way, and it was fitting that Steve Smith, who has captained well in the absence of Pat Cummins, hit a 6 to win the match.
On Monday, we were overdue to do a thorough clean of our decking, which Wes did. He washed all the windows as well and watered plants that were looking thirsty, while dodging all the birds looking for more to eat. I did a proper clean of the kitchen while he was outside, and we were both very pleased with the results.
We were shocked to hear that an old Daylesford friend, Chris Dobson, who recently turned 80, had suffered a stroke and was in the Ballarat Base hospital. She had been in intensive care, but has now moved to the Queen Elizabeth Centre for rehab.
I was pleased to be able to deliver Christmas gifts a little earlier than usual, and started on Tuesday by delighting our young Garbo with a tin of chocolates for them all to share. It's a thankless task and they work in all weathers, and they need to know how much we appreciate them. Then I was off to see Juls for my last manicure of the year - she appreciates quality extra virgin olive oil and vinegar, and this year was no exception. While I was with her, Wes did wonders in the front garden!
On Wednesday, it was the last Mah Jong for 2025, so I gave Hien and the crew at Muffins & More some chocolates to share. She was thrilled, but I'm not sure how much sharing will go on, as she & her husband left that afternoon for a fortnight in Vietnam. I also popped in some chocolates for Luke & Steve in our Post Office, and in return, Luke gave me a beautiful 2026 Calendar with photos of memorable post offices, including ours.
After finishing up Mah Jong with Judi, I went across the road to Emma for a wonderful facial that will keep me going until I see her again in March. I found a blend of spices in Gewurzhaus that goes well with eggs, which I thought she would enjoy using while her family is on holidays.
We had a busy Thursday - Wes walked Morse early, but wasn't able to join the Jackson Group Zoom, as we were meeting Wendy & her husband, Roberto, in Castlemaine for brunch at Saff's. I had a WhatsApp chat with Terry Borg, and her daughter, Laura; followed by Old Friends with Karen & Joyce. Then it was time to drive to Castlemaine. Roberto has been diagnosed with Stage 4 brain cancer, and is having all the treatments - he is very fortunate that he is eating & sleeping well, and his fitness is helping him cope with all he is going through.
Roberto & Wendy tucking into brunch
We were all thrilled to be hosting Rob, Dene & Glen on our decking for our Christmas get-together this year, which was held on Friday. It was so lovely to catch up with all three of them, and Morse was delighted, running from one to the other in his excitement. Wes had bought some excellent goodies from Blake's Family Grocers, and Glen provided a box of Walter's mince pies, made freshly by Natasha Hall. We had the traditional bottle of Cofield Sparkling Shiraz while we exchanged gifts.
Yesterday morning, after the early walk, Wes & I drove to Avis in Ballarat to collect a car for the coming week while Snoopy is in hospital after an argument with a small retaining wall. We have a Toyota, which is a relief, as all the controls will be on the same side as the Mazda, but it doesn't have cruise control or too many other extras. We were tired after our busy week, and very happy to spend the rest of the day quietly at home reading Saturday's Age newspaper and doing the odd chore.
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