Daylesford Winter Dispatch - Sunday, 3rd July 2016

 Dear Friends, it was another cold Sunday last week, with the threat of black ice still around, so we travelled carefully to the Market and then to breakfast, where we enjoyed a long, fairly serious chat about the effects of the vote by the UK to leave the EU. None of us can understand it, and it appears to have been an anti-immigration vote as much as anything else. We hope our cousin, Leigh, and her husband, Simon, are not adversely affected by it.

We will have a chance to discuss this in person, as Leigh, Simon & Simon’s daughter, Charlotte, are all travelling to Australia early next month. They fly into Melbourne on the Saturday morning, and we are meeting them for brunch on Sunday before taking them to the MCG to see Carlton play St Kilda. Leigh is a Carlton fan and is keen for the other two to see Aussie Rules. I have bought guest passes & reserved seats in the MCC, so there will be plenty for them to look at if the footy doesn’t grab them. Two days later, after visiting Leanne, they are driving to Daylesford to spend two nights at Lake Daylesford Cottage, before heading off to Tathra to see my sister, Paun & her husband, Brian, on their way to Sydney, finishing their trip with some days of R&R at Port Douglas. They are hoping to catch up with my brothers, Terry & Peter, and their wives, Mary & Anka, as well as some of Leigh’s many friends in Oz.

After breakfast, I made a big pot of minestrone soup, which we enjoyed with olive sourdough bread, fresh from the Sunday Market – I bought the loaf three minutes after it was delivered to the bread stall.

Wes finally got into the garden on Monday, as it was dry in the morning. He and Bilbo enjoyed an early walk, and I had a fun session at gym. Barry had written a new programme for me, but left it at his home, so we worked off someone else’s sheet with a few changes. I spent 25 minutes on the phone to Deo at Telstra, trying to get some action – no one wants to take responsibility for my lost phone and both Deo and a later ‘follow-up’ caller from Telstra suggested that I should be ranting & raving at our local Telstra shop. I object very strenuously to this – Keith has looked after us brilliantly for the last 18 years and I believe his version of events.

Enough said!

We woke on Tuesday to find that our dear friends, Bobby & Marilyn, had made a special trip to St Columba’s Island on the Isle of Skye to find Viva’s tree & see if the scarf we tied there two years ago had survived. Sadly it had gone, but they left some flowers and thought of her. I was in tears with their kindness.

We are really enjoying following their trip around Scotland with them and they keep us informed with lots of photos. They have eaten at places we suggested, done walks we loved and, in spite of the cold and single lane roads, are having a great time. We can’t wait to catch up with them on their return and chat at great length about what they have done.

On Tuesday, I gave ‘Finding Dory’ a miss and drove to Strathmore to spend time with Leanne instead. We had a good visit, but it was amazing the difference in weather in 100 kms. I left and returned to Brigadoon, but Strathmore was bathed in sunshine & 15º.

Two stunning views of Lake Daylesford taken at 6.30am by Robyn Lawrence

Wes did a double shift at the cinema as it is school holidays, which he followed with a meeting at the Food Gallery and a visit to Margot to collect her computer, so he can do some upgrades for her. My computer is running well after its visit to hospital, but the mobile has still not been replaced, and the dishwasher has a burnt out motor, which needs replacing.

Valerie, Dot & I enjoyed our games of Mah Jong on Wednesday morning – the heater was fixed; the café was full of happy visitors and locals tucking into big breakfasts & pancake stacks, and the staff never stopped smiling and being helpful. Meanwhile, Wes spent time with Barbara as usual – she has a foot infection, so has been advised to have as much bed rest as possible to help the antibiotics do their work.

The 30^th June dawned cold and wet. The boys walked early, but it never really got above 4º (feels like -4), so we spent the morning on the computer. I had decided to change all our passwords again and this seemed like a good time to do it, while Wes had set himself a deadline of that date for research on the family tree…..now the hard work of writing the stories begins in earnest.

There was a boys’ film afternoon at the Pengilleys’ place, so I drove Wes and Jeff Bain there, where they were joined by Brian Nash & David Hall, for a solid afternoon of eating, drinking, watching a film (The Bridge of Spies) and solving most of the world’s problems. We agreed that Wes & Jeff would catch a taxi home when they were good & ready, but Jan Pengilley kindly did the honours around 8pm.

On Friday, we were excited to have a visit from Libby Tyrrell Edgoose, with her friend and former next-door neighbour, Jan di Luca. They drove up from Ivanhoe and brought some drier weather with them. We had lunch at Boathouse Daylesford, where Susanne & Claire looked after us beautifully. The minute Lib & Jan decided to go home it started to rain again, and within a short time, we were back to wet & grey weather.

Jan & Lib enjoying the views of Lake Daylesford as we chat over a glass of pinot gris before lunch

It ended up a very busy day for both of us – the phone was running hot in preparation for yesterday, as Wes was Captain of the Glenlyon voting booth.

I visited Keith at our local Telstra shop to see if he had any more news on my lost phone – he didn’t, but as I was leaving Wombat Hill Nursery, (armed with little plants to replace my much-loved geraniums that the rosellas destroyed), I received a phone call from Graham, a manager at Telstra to let me know that he would be sending me a replacement phone that day and to ask me what I would like. I opted for the updated version of the LG phone that was lost, and asked him about the two months’ rent that we had paid. He agreed to send me $150 in vouchers, which rose to $200 by the time we finished talking. This is a very satisfactory outcome after 9 weeks since my phone stopped working. Fingers crossed that the phone arrives safely.

Wes and I had very different mornings yesterday – he walked Bilbo early in the light rain and mist, then packed the car and set off around 7am to get the Glenlyon Hall ready for handing out ALP How to Vote Cards for Catherine King. I met Judi at Jackie’s on Vincent for a yummy breakfast omelette and catch up, after walking around the Farmers’ Market across the road, where I caught up with local producers, as well as wonderful Rotarians – Bronnie, Ron, David & Gordon. We both walked around town afterwards redirecting visitors who were heading to the Daylesford Primary School to vote. For the first time in our memory, the polling booth was in Smith Street at St Michael’s Primary School.

Lovely photo of Wes being visited by another True Believer, Lauren Matthews-Nicholls, at Glenlyon Polling Booth

When I got home, Wes had dropped back briefly to warm up, recharge the mobile and sit down, before heading back to do another shift at Glenlyon.

It was a busy night – I made dinner while Wes settled down to watch the Election broadcast on a wide spectrum of channels, most of which were ruined by giggling females or people talking about results that didn’t match what was on the screen. Early signs were for a reduced Coalition majority, but we woke this morning to find that Labor had done better as the night wore on, and as I send this, we still don’t know which party will be in government. Our local member, Catherine King, has comfortably held her seat, which is a testament to her hard work here and as Shadow Minister for Health.

I left the political broadcasts at 7.25pm to watch the Carlton & Collingwood game on the TV in our bedroom. After the stunning game in the afternoon between Sydney & Western Bulldogs, which resulted in a 4-point win to the Doggies at the SCG, I didn’t expect as high a standard in our game, which the Pies managed to win by 2 goals in a low-scoring scrap. It was lovely to see the first game of Jack Silvagni, the third generation of Silvagnis to play for Carlton. Both his father, Steve, and grandfather, Serge, were watching on proudly. He is a natural, who seems to have no fear, and with this nerve-wracking debut behind him, he will only improve.

Jack in long sleeves, like his father, SOS, getting out a handball against Mason Cox with Nathan Brown in the background

Bilbo is getting anxious at my feet, so it must be time to venture out into the early morning mist and collect some provisions at the Sunday Market, before catching up with friends for breakfast upstairs at the Food Gallery.

Daylesford Winter Dispatch - Sunday, 26th June 2016

Dear Friends, we enjoyed breakfast last Sunday – Judi got the chance to tell us all about the highlight of their trip to Tassie, which was their visit to MONA, which is accessed by ferry, and nestles into the side of a cliff. We were all most impressed and it certainly made us even more determined to get there ourselves, hopefully in the next couple of years.

Feel the excitement as Bilbo, wearing his very warm pink coat, waits for breakfast leftovers

In the afternoon, there was a vigil outside Daylesford Hotel, in memory of the Orlando victims. As well, the rainbow flag has been flying at half-mast in Vincent Street. We had hoped to get there, but both of us were tired after our busy week and opted to stay warm at home.

On Monday, it was raining again, against all predictions including a stunning sunset the night before. Wes cancelled plans to mow the lawns, but he and Bilbo did enjoy an early walk.

  Lake Daylesford before dawn, courtesy of Robyn Lawrence

After gym, I met up with Gillie Gough at Muffins & More for a hot drink & snack & catch up, as it seems like ages since we spent any time together. Back home, it was definitely indoor chores only.

We woke to rain & fog on Tuesday, so all thoughts of a walk were cancelled. Wes went off early to prepare to show ‘A Month of Sundays’ and after a fringe trim, I joined about 20 others in watching this wonderful film. Most of us loved it and thought that Anthony La Paglia’s acting was superb. We also enjoyed seeing Julia Blake & John Clarke in fine roles. Afterwards we met at The Food Gallery for a quick hot drink & bite to eat before Wes dropped me off at EKO for a facial & manicure.

It made quite a change on Wednesday when we woke to a dry, cold morning and the boys had their walk, while I went to gym and later to Mah Jong at Muffins & More, where the heater was blowing out cold air no matter what anyone did! I left early to get tickets for us & Jane & David for the Adelaide Day/Night Test against South Africa in November.

Wes and I were very chuffed to discover that our good friends, Marilyn & Robert Preston, were not only staying in Pitlochry, at the Claymore B&B we had loved, but also they had taken photos of some of our favourite spots, and then decided to climb Ben Vrackie. We feel so exhilarated that our recommendations were heeded, and so very proud of them for succeeding in climbing 2,790ft. I think both of us spent the day with these pictures in our minds.  

Us in 2014 & them in 2016

Wes had spent the morning taking Barbara for a big shop at Coles and filled her car with petrol. In the afternoon he attended a meeting back at her place to help a Daylesford Cinema volunteer, who wants to give the area’s oldest residents a chance to see a film outside of regular sessions. He left her with a hundred ideas and the hope that she might be able to make this happen.

We had planned a day in Geelong on Thursday – I did the shopping early at Coles & Tonna’s in case it was sleeting early on Friday morning and we set off around 9.30am. We left the rain behind the closer we got to Geelong and our first stop was Hope Street, Geelong West, which used to be part of Little Scotland, and somewhere that some of Wes’s ancestors settled in during the early 19^th century. We needed a hot drink and found Three Figs, a casual cafė with a warm greeting and lovely atmosphere, and enjoyed cups of tea and coffee and a good chat.

Next stop was the Geelong Botanical Gardens – much to our shame, neither of us has ever been there before, and we must have visited Geelong a hundred times over our lives, especially when Lib’s parents, Doug & Bell, had a holiday house in Barwon Heads, that they very generously let their children’s friends use often.

We were blown away by the beauty and size of these gardens; by the well-maintained pathways & lawns; by seeing 38 National Trust trees, and by finding a handful of historic buildings & fountains, which have been moved here from the centre of town. We spent about 90 minutes lost in wonder and have vowed to visit again very soon as there is still so much to see during each of the four Seasons.

Wes being greeted by these wonderful bollards representing the first curator, Daniel Bunce, and his wife.

We were ready for lunch after this, so headed to the foreshore and the Fishermen’s Pier, a restaurant that we have visited many times in the past, but not recently. While Wes got his fill of boats from the window, we ordered oysters, red Thai seafood curry and a bottle of Thomas Goss McLaren Vale Sparkling Shiraz. This was a perfect meal and we took our time over it, which was just as well, as we didn’t expect the weather we were going to encounter on our way home.

We had decided to vote early in Ballarat, so drove there from Geelong through sleet and of course, missed The Atlantic Hotel on our first time round. It was a fun experience – more people handing out How to Vote Cards outside and more officials inside, than voters. The Senate paper is now the size of a large petition and we were very grateful to have the ALP’s instructions on how to navigate it!

We arrived home at 5pm right on the dot, just as Bilbo was starting to panic that he wouldn’t get his dinner on time. We had left him with a big bone, which had completely disappeared, so he didn’t have too bad a time on his own. 

We were expecting snow on Friday and the early indications were good with 3º (feels like -3). Wes and Bilbo walked early before it started raining, and I met Judi for a cuppa at The Food Gallery during light rain. We had a good catch-up chat before she left to unblock their spouting and I visited Keith at Bi-Rite to see what was happening with my mobile phone, which has now been missing for 8 weeks. Wes visited Daylesford Neighbourhood Centre to have a meeting with Jenny Beacham about the Hepburn Family Tree Centre.

Finally, around 1pm it started snowing and continued on and off for an hour & a half. Sadly, the snow melted as it hit the ground, but we did enjoy watching it. 

Later that evening, I was very thrilled to see Collingwood beat Fremantle comprehensively in front of 20,000 very brave souls at the MCG. Not only was it freezing, but also there was no parking at the G, which probably caused a few fans to stay home.

Yesterday was another cold morning, so we decided not to walk early. I took Bilbo around the Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens and on the way had a fright, when there was black ice at the first roundabout. When we arrived back home we discovered that two people had been killed in a car accident, when the driver lost control and hit a tree on the Midland Highway, just before it meets the Woodend Road at Daylesford.

Snow falling on our backyard

Wes tried working in the garden but everything was frozen and it wasn’t even possible to sweep up leaves, so he opted for the computer instead and I did the washing & ironing. We had hoped to get to the local footy but it was too cold, so we stayed put and I baked a fruitcake to keep us company while Carlton played GWS at the Sydney Showgrounds.

Sadly, the Blues were no match for GWS, much to our disappointment. Wes would have coped with a 4 or 5 goal loss, but 10 was too much. Later we watched the first half of the very exciting and close game between St Kilda & Geelong and were amazed to discover this morning that the Saints had won by 3 points in a thriller.

Although it is very frosty again today, Wes and Bilbo have been for their walk, and now Bilbo is waiting patiently (or not) for me to send the Dispatch and for us to get cracking. We have to pump water; shop at the Sunday Market for bread, fruit, vegetables & bones; come home and sort it all & put it away (with unwanted pieces of celery for Bilbo), and then join our friends for breakfast at the Food Gallery.

 We found the Magic Faraway Tree in the Geelong Botanic Gardens – this giant redwood is exactly how I pictured it looking – can you see Moonface & the Saucepan Man in its branches?

Daylesford Winter Dispatch - Sunday, 19th June, 2016

Dear Friends, when I left you last Sunday, we were preparing for a busy day and it didn’t let us down. Breakfast was fun with lots of laughter, especially on the subject of Morris Dancers & clogging. Afterwards, I dropped into the Daylesford Primary School to see the stunning biennial display by the Spa Quilters, where I was amused to discover when answering the question, ‘how did you hear about this show?’ that there was no provision for being a local and attending regularly.

Detail from my favourite quilt – Wedding Rings

In the afternoon, we watched the footy, where Carlton players seemed to have forgotten everything they had learnt this year and let St Kilda run all over them. The other two matches were much closer and better games, which we had to stop watching, as it was time to go out to dinner!

Wes watching the footy with a sleepy friend

We had ordered the degustation menu at Mercato and weren’t disappointed with the stunning array of dishes – including Jerusalem artichoke veloutė, Creole spiced prawns, roasted quail (Wes) Black Angus eye fillet (Wes), cauliflower soufflé (me) and the final item was a dark chocolate ganache tart with raspberries & orange, carrot & cardamom sorbet. I gave Wes my tart, as it was far too rich & chocolaty for me, but perfect for him! I did score the raspberries & his sorbet.

It was a freezing cold morning the next day, but Wes and Bilbo walked early before everywhere iced over. Even at 9am, the pond & fountain were still frozen solid and there wasn’t much that the gardener could do, as his spade wouldn’t break up the soil. Perfect weather to recover from the night before!

I joined about 15 others to see the stunning Australian film ‘The Daughter’, which was perfectly written, directed, cast, acted & photographed. Apart from 2 who didn’t enjoy it, the rest of us emerged looking thoughtful and teary and surprised to find ourselves in a cinema, after being totally engrossed by the screen. Glenn Mack had joined me unexpectedly just before the film started and we debriefed over a hot drink at the Food Gallery, where Wes arrived after finishing his projectionist duties.

We had no Mah Jong on Wednesday, so after gym, I took Bilbo for a walk, while Sandra cleaned everywhere. Wes spent the morning with Barbara doing gardening and discussing issues. My computer had decided to die, so we looked up the Daylesford Grapevine, searched for computers and found Greg Miles, who lives in Vincent Street North, and who fixed the computer in 24 hours, for a reasonable price, much to our delight.

Our other issues are my mobile phone, still not found or replaced, and I discovered speaking to Keith at our local Telstra shop that he had given Telstra Warren’s ieme number instead of mine! Also, the dishwasher has decided to no longer wash our dishes, so after following all the instructions in the manual, I rang ASKO, who promised to send Barclays in Ballarat an email authorising them to go ahead. When I rang Barclays, they advised me that they had not received any authorisation, so back on the phone to ASKO. They had sent the authority to Castlemaine Appliance Services instead, so cancelled that & sent one to Barclays. We have to wait nearly two weeks now, but at least it will be fixed under warranty by a reputable firm, with which we enjoy dealing.

We decided to go out for lunch at Jackie’s on Vincent and were very warmly greeted by Lisa & Jackie as we sat near the open fire. They brought us hot drinks and yummy Mongolian Beef for Wes & Spicy Calamari for me. We haven’t been there for a while and were most impressed that Lisa remembered our names and preferences.

Wes then set off to visit Leanne in Strathmore before collecting Judi & Michael at Melbourne Airport, while I spent the afternoon putting back all the programmes that had disappeared from my computer. Fortunately, we are scrupulous about back-ups and nothing has been lost….touch wood! Wes had a long slow back drive from the airport through fog & rain and was very pleased to arrive home to a large whisky and the History Channel.

I had gone shopping at Coles the day before so that I could leave some dinner & breakfast provisions for Judi & Michael so we all enjoyed a sleep in on Friday while the rain poured down. Bilbo eventually wanted his bone, so we gave him his wish, and I went back to bed with the Age, while Wes wandered downstairs to catch up on Ancestry.com etc.

Sadly, when I went to open Outlook, I discovered an error message that I couldn’t solve, so we had to enlist Greg’s help again. He was able to enter my computer remotely and fix the problem, which was a relief. It occurred again yesterday, so he dismantled the programme he thought was causing it and I was delighted to find the computer worked this morning so I could send this Dispatch.

We had a lovely day yesterday – up early so that Wes could apply my henna after he had walked Bilbo, who was then washed. I did all our washing & ironing which leaves today free before setting off to spend time with Judi & hear about their holiday. She suggested we go to Jackie’s and we met at 10.30am at the same time as Wes was holding a meeting at our place to discuss the establishment of a Hepburn Family History Centre.

Judi & I enjoyed our brunch – omelette for me and quinoa, zucchini & pumpkin pancake for Judi, with endless pots of Jasmine tea. Afterwards we went for a walk up & down Vincent Street before I dropped Judi home as she had returned our car, which she & Michael had kept to collect Maddie & Major from Eureka Kennels the day before. They now have their own car back & hopefully it is fully fixed and won’t give them any more troubles.

Wes was pleased with his meeting, and, after a short break to read the paper, we went to Victoria Park to watch the Daylesford Doggies play Gordon, once the easy-beats, but now a powerhouse in the Central Highlands Football League. We were all cold at half time and decided to come back home as the wind seemed to be coming off a mountain covered in ice & snow. The Doggies tried hard, but eventually lost by 5 goals to the better team.

Back home we lit a fire and watched the very exciting game between Freo & Port, which Freo won most unexpectedly. This turned out to be the best game of the day, as the highly anticipated clash between Geelong & the Western Bulldogs was a real fizzer with Geelong running all over them from the word go.

Our friends, David & Jane, are in Europe and have just finished a wonderful cruise that took them to many stunning places.

Beautiful view of Naples from Jane & David’s breakfast spot on their cruise ship

Bilbo is sitting anxiously at my feet, so I guess it is time to set off for our usual Sunday Morning fun!

Daylesford Winter Dispatch - Sunday, 12th June 2016

Dear Friends, we had a most enjoyable breakfast last Sunday – Mary Goodall joined us before heading back home to Bendigo after a few weeks of house & animal sitting in Eganstown. Wes told everyone about his seminar at the Victorian Archives Office the previous Friday evening, which stimulated an excellent conversation.

I left at 10am to drive to the MCG to see Collingwood completely fail to turn up against the highly skilled and very keen Port Adelaide side. David Lazzaro & I got great seats out of the rain, but with a good view and plenty of legroom on the wing...catching up with him was easily the highlight of the afternoon!

Wes & Bilbo outside the Food Gallery upstairs

Monday was grey and wet, which didn’t stop me going to gym or Wes taking Bilbo early for a walk, before turning into a Scottish gardener and pruning the fruit trees in the rain. After gym, Nick Massaro arrived to give me a massage, and after that, I made a big pot on spicy minestrone soup, which lasted us for quite a few days.

At lunchtime, we watched the new Australian series, ‘The Secret City’, set in Canberra, and were most impressed. We have not enjoyed the latest offerings of ‘Janet King’ & ‘Rake’. The storyline in the former is excellent and gripping, but the show is full of inconsistencies and unbelievable actions; while the latter is just plain silly and completely unbelievable on every level.

Wes showed the film, ‘The Man Who Knew Infinity’ on Tuesday morning, and we were joined by a few others to watch some fine acting and a good story. We saw Jeremy Irons on stage some years ago in London & were so impressed by his skills, which came to the fore again in this film. We arrived home to no internet, and eventually discovered some of Daylesford was in the same boat. Wes spent some time on the phone trying to find out when connections would be restored and we were told that 3pm on Wednesday was the magic hour.

On Wednesday, after gym, I played Mah Jong with Dot & Valerie at Muffins & More. The café was full – there was a thick fog everywhere and the Hepburn Golf Club ladies decided to have hot drinks & scones in lieu of a game, and we regulars were lucky to find a table. We could barely hear ourselves speak for the first hour, but after the women left, we were back to normal.

Meanwhile Wes drove Judi & Michael to the airport to catch a flight to Hobart as the start of an 8-day holiday in Tassie. I was worried about them in the fog, but it disappeared at Woodend, only to reappear on his journey back home. I visited Judi & Michael’s home to collect goodies that had been left in the fridge, but arrived at the front door to discover I had put their PO Box key on the key-ring containing Glenn’s PO Box key, instead of the key ring with their home key!

Of course, there was no internet at 3pm, so Wes got back on the phone and was told that Telstra was still working on it. I lit a fire and relaxed for the afternoon with Bilbo by my side. We were thrilled to see the news that South Africa has agreed to a pink ball Test in Adelaide in November, as we have booked our accommodation and are looking forward to it very much indeed. Now for the tickets!

I had an amusing experience before the footy last Sunday – Judi had asked me if I still knitted at the footy and I said I hadn’t liked to take steel knitting needles since the increased security. So when I was queued up outside Gate 2, I asked the gentleman responsible for checking our bags & person, whether I could bring steel knitting needles into the MCG. He replied – we wouldn’t worry about someone your age at all....someone young with a couple in their pocket would be a concern. So it’s official – I’ve reached the benign age where I am not considered a threat any longer to Australia’s security!

On Thursday, we decided to spend the day in Maldon – somewhere we haven’t been in ages. Back in the 70s, it was the place to go, but we didn’t like it or those we met living there. What a lovely surprise it was to find welcoming friendly people everywhere we went, starting with the Information Centre. We decided to do the hour walk around the town, looking at buildings of interest and discovering on the way that Maldon was the birthplace of the famous Australian cricketer & Test Captain, Bill Woodfull, who was also Headmaster at Melbourne High.

We enjoyed a very French experience at Le Cel, where Wes had cauliflower soup with prosciutto, and I had a small baguette with cheese, salad & quince paste. We parked in a quiet little corner table for two and spent the whole time feeling we were sitting in someone else’s table and that our hosts were keen for us to vacate it!

It was my turn to lead a walk, this time along both sides of Main Street & High Street, where there is a wealth of history known about the origins of most of the buildings.

After that, we drove to the Maldon General Cemetery, which is huge, and well laid out, with the front section devoted to pioneers. We drove along the Back Cemetery Road and disturbed about 50 young kangaroos playing in the bush – wonderful sight.

Wes standing by the Chinese Burning Tower, where food & offerings were prepared to put by the graves

Our final stop was Mount Tarrengower Lookout, which offers 360° views of the Wombat State Forest, the Grampians, the Goldfields and more. We climbed as far as we were allowed and had fun getting our bearings.

 We arrived back home at 3.30pm, six hours after we left, having enjoyed our visit and promising to go back soon – perhaps with Kathy & Ged when they visit next, or with Tom & Deb, as Tom has ancestors buried in the cemetery there.

Of course, there was still no internet, but about an hour later, we were rung by Telstra to see if we had service and our helpful phone technician managed to reconnect us before nightfall. I am still without my phone, and using Wes’s, which means he is without a mobile at all.

After early shopping on Friday, I took Bilbo to the Gardens for a couple of laps on our own in peace and quiet before checking Judi & Michael’s PO Box & home. Around 11am, Ian Robinson arrived, having dropped Robyn off for a facial at EKO.

We enjoyed a solid hour chatting about footy, before it was time for him to collect Robyn and meet us at the Boathouse Daylesford, for lunch. Both Susanne & Claire were working and it was delightful to see them again and enjoy their hospitality. They ran the Farmers Arms for many years, selling it about 12 months ago, and after a good break, they were ready to return to the industry they know best and they are doing wonders at the Boathouse.

Robyn, Karen & Ian on a wintry day with Lake Daylesford in the background

The Robinsons have a wonderful holiday planned, so we spent lunchtime finding out about it and also discovering what sliders are!!

Yesterday we were both up early – Wes to walk Bilbo and me to prepare for a trip to Strathmore to visit Leanne. Although it was cold, there was no fog, so I was very happy to set off early laden with goodies. Apart from being passed by a P-plater going at 120kms in the emergency lane on my left, I had an uneventful drive to Melbourne through the rain and back again.

In the afternoon, I was happy to sit reading The Age and watching footy, including a stunning game between the Doggies & Port, that went down to the last seconds and resulted in a win to the Doggies.  

Bilbo getting warm & comfy with his friends by his side.

This morning is crisp & clear & dry, so Bilbo & I will head out to the Sunday Market shortly before catching up with Barbara, Janine, Margot, David & Sandy & Bam Bam & perhaps, Aileen. Then I am going to visit the Daylesford Spa Quilters Biennial Exhibition at the Daylesford Primary School, before coming home to finish the washing & ironing & watch Carlton play St Kilda.

Tomorrow Collingwood plays Melbourne in the traditional Queen’s Birthday Weekend game, but it doesn’t start until 3.20pm, which means a drive home in the dark, so I am going to stay put and watch it on TV.

Tonight we are off to Mercato’s for an early dinner to celebrate our 46^th Anniversary – we don’t often go out at night, so this will be a treat.

The ‘just married’ kiss on a lovely wet Friday evening at Newman Chapel

We are very supportive of the ‘Freeze MND’ event, which is occurring tomorrow at the MCG before the match. Neale Daniher, a much-loved member of that famous sporting family, is into his 3^rd year of motor neurone disease, and went very public 12 months ago with the aim of raising awareness and funds for research. 11 well-known personalities, mostly sporting, will slide down into a pool of iced water. When this was done last year, the response was amazing ($2.2 million) and some breakthroughs have been made in MND research – this won’t help Neale, but it will help people who are diagnosed today and in the future. We are particularly looking forward to seeing my favourite sports commentator, Gerard Whateley, who will be wearing jockey Luke Nolen’s Black Caviar kit including whip & helmet. 

Daylesford Winter Dispatch - Sunday, 5th June 2016

Dear Friends, we enjoyed a good breakfast with some interesting conversations last Sunday. I was so well organised that I had baked a fruitcake before we headed off to the Food Gallery and we were very pleased to tuck into it during the afternoon. The local CWA had a market at the Daylesford Town Hall, so I popped in after breakfast, but most of the goodies were hand-knits and I can produce them easily enough myself. There were some gourmet dog treats, but Bilbo doesn’t really appreciate gourmet and in the past, I have found that stockpiling homemade dog treats doesn’t pay as they go off.

Bilbo & I waiting for friends to arrive for breakfast

Wes was delighted with Carlton, who played with determination to beat Geelong in front of a large, vocal crowd at the Docklands. I heard the ABC radio say 30 minutes before the game that the roof was closed, but the lights weren’t on – fortunately, that was rectified in time for the match. The Pies tried hard in their mid-afternoon game, but didn’t make the most of their early opportunities with some wayward kicking and the Bulldogs were able to run all over us at the end. I spoke with a friend who was at the match and she said it was dark and cold at half time, so I made the right decision not to go.

Bam Bam arrived at breakfast wearing his nice warm new coat handmade by Jeannie at Village on Vincent – his owner, David, has ordered a tartan one for him as well!

On Monday, we all slept through 5am, probably because it was 0° and still that temperature when I went to gym at 7.45am. One of the Carlton footballers, Dennis Armfield, was on the front page of The Age, so I persuaded Wes to stay in bed having a good read about the footy, before he tackled vacuuming & cleaning our cars. After gym, I walked back into town & met Judi at the Food Gallery for a long catch-up over pots of tea, which we both enjoyed. Margot arrived while we were there to spend time with her friend, Adrian, who does gym with me on Mondays & Wednesdays.

As is often the case after a cold morning, the afternoon was a beautiful sunny one, so after lunch I walked Bilbo twice around the Botanic Gardens, which was once more than he wanted to go! Wes completed a very fine short story about his family entitled ‘1944-1949 Booming Babies’ and I read it before he headed off to see Jenny Beacham to drink red wine and discuss his concept for a Hepburn Family Research Centre.

Tuesday was even colder with -2° showing when Wes & Bilbo went walking at 5am. I had a doctor’s appointment, which meant I raced into the Daylesford Cinema a few minutes after 10am, but fortunately the shorts were showing and I was able to get myself settled before ‘Eye in the Sky’ started. What a stunning modern wartime thriller – it was so good in just about every respect. Don’t miss it if you haven’t already seen it – Helen Mirren is such a versatile and accomplished actor, that, at the very least, it would be a shame to miss her performance.

I spent the afternoon picking the remaining chillies from our plants before the frost killed them all and put the healthiest plants into the hothouse in the hope we would get one more harvest. Wes arranged a meeting with interested parties to work on the Research Centre plan and sent off the details to them all, before heading back to the Daylesford Cinema to show the film ‘Eddie the Eagle’ as the regular 6pm projectionist was unable to turn up.

It was another freezing morning on Wednesday, so there were only 4 of us at gym, which means no waiting to use equipment and plenty of room to spread out. I headed off afterwards to Mah Jong; while Wes went over to Barbara’s place to wash her car and whatever else she needed doing. When I arrived back, I took Bilbo for two laps of the Botanic Gardens and noticed the first jonquil bulbs bravely poking up from the ground.

Valerie Lefel & Dot Smith at Muffins & More in the middle of our Mah Jong morning

We have been inundated with cockatoos since Fawlty Towers was put into our garden and this past month they have been particularly destructive, pulling out seedlings, chomping away at the timber on the house and chasing the magpies & rosellas away. Acting on advice, I bought some tinfoil pieces and have them hanging in the trees, as well as on the decking and, apart from one persistent cockie, it seems to have worked. Instead of putting birdseed out on the feeder, I have been strewing it on the lawn and the cockies aren’t interested in grazing the way the other birds do.

With the Federal election looming, we asked if we could have a poster for our garden supporting our local member, Catherine King, and here she is, nestling amongst the hedges & roses.

We enjoyed a lovely lunch at Bad Habits Café at the Convent Gallery on Thursday – my belated Mother’s Day lunch with thanks to Bilbo. Just as we finished eating, along came the owner, Tina Banitska, and she sat down for a chat. Both her parents are in their late 80s and deteriorating rapidly and she desperately needed to talk about them as well as share some funny stories. It was a good finish to our time out together and we resisted all her efforts to buy us drinks or our lunch as a thank you for listening.

In the afternoon, I was thrilled to find enough energy to do an hour’s painting out the front. I started doing the railings on the ramp about 6 weeks ago and it was good to get back to them, although I needed the gardener to trim some branches of the maple so I can get close to the back of the slats.

On Friday, after supermarket shopping, Judi & I met with our dogs for a walk around the Botanic Gardens followed by pots of tea at the Food Gallery.

Judi with Maddy & Major & an anxious Bilbo

Wes gardened in the back & front and after cooking us a beautiful lunch of Atlantic Salmon with broccolini & rice, he headed off to Melbourne to attend a free seminar ‘Find your Black Sheep in the Archives’ put on by the True Crime Writing Panel at the Victorian Archives Centre in North Melbourne. This was most interesting & has provided him with food for thought and discussion.

On his way, he visited Leanne, and they had a good time together – he went laden with eggs, honey, parsley, mint & lemons, and arrived back home with a cake, wine, mustard & chilli chips!

On Saturday, I delivered The Age to Judi & Michael as Rob & Dene were in Sydney for the weekend and hadn’t stopped their papers. Wes & I had been invited to have morning tea with Glenn & Denise and we arrived at their place to find freshly made scones with homemade jam & cream. We contributed a Boston bun and I don’t know about them, but we cancelled lunch & thought we would have our fish for dinner instead! We hadn’t spent time with them both in ages and did enjoy catching up, especially as Denise has retired from full time work since we last saw her, and she is looking very happy & healthy because of being able to pick and choose her projects.

It was cold enough to have the open fire lit, which was lovely and we spent the afternoon & evening in the lounge watching footy. The Blues had another good win against Brisbane & we also watched parts of two other close games – Hawthorn & Melbourne, followed by Geelong & Greater Western Sydney. The second-named teams matched it with their opposition for three quarters, but then were overcome in the last quarter.

This morning Bilbo and I have a busy time – we are off to pump mineral water, then visit the Sunday Market, followed by Sunday Breakfast with friends both human & canine. I will be leaving early to drive to Melbourne for the footy – Collingwood are playing Port Adelaide at the MCG, and I am glad I have booked an undercover car park spot as the wet weather has made a mess of the MCG car park.

However, Wes has discovered that the big car has a flat battery, so we may not be able to do all the jobs I set myself before we go to breakfast. Hopefully we can start the car with jumper leads and all will be well.

David Lazzaro sent me a message last night to say he was going to the footy, and I have just bought him a Guest Pass so we can sit together in the MCC. I don’t often get to watch a game of footy with David these days, so this is a real treat. Fingers crossed that the Pies play well in spite of three changes to the team with injuries from last week’s match.                                                                                                                      

 Here is my latest crop of beanies & berets for Keeping Daylesford Warm – I am now knitting a cabled scarf with matching hat for something different!