Daylesford Summer Dispatch - Sunday, 6th December 2020

                 
Thank you all for the lovely feedback I received from last week's Dispatch. It's great to know you enjoy reading about our doings. When I left you last, we were about to head off to the Sunday Market, where masks were compulsory, but not everyone was obeying. We got there extra early, which helped, as it wasn't too busy. 

Breakfast at the Food Gallery was delightful - there were nine of us, including Sue Longley, who was there for the first time. She & Sandy Angliss hit it off & chatted and laughed together. Wes was down one end where lots of funny stories were told & Judi kept my end of the table amused with her latest pond story. 

After my usual chat with Leanne, we all hopped in the car & headed for Ballarat to collect spirits at Dan Murphy, where the staff will rarely win any awards for best service, and then to Officeworks to pick up some more clear floor protectors. Of course they were out of stock, so we came back home & Wes was able to order them online.

Quite a few things have changed for us this Christmas as a result of COVID-19 isolation and one is the realisation that we would prefer to make our Annual Donation to the Salvation Army, after years of supporting the Guide Dogs. We have decided to have a Christmas tree after some years without one, and will be getting that sometime this week. Because we aren't in Adelaide for the Day/Night Test (being held in late December this year and we're not travelling anywhere just yet), we are on top of our Christmas cards (both actual & e-cards) and feeling much better about coping with decorations and the few gifts we will be buying as local thank yous or for pets of local friends. Some years I find this quite overwhelming, but Wes has been a big help and we've gone through each step together.

Lewis & Morse wondering how they got into this wire enclosure, which was built to stop them from sticky-beaking at Glen next door from our joint fenceline - Lewis pushed up the wire for Morse & they both escaped!

We worked hard at School and got our Guest Room looking fresh & relaxing again. We had decided it was too busy, and removed nearly all the paintings & prints that were there, as well as the bookcase, that was a gift from Joan Testro. Under the house is filling up, but Wes is decluttering slowly, but surely - we feel as though we have moved as so many of our rooms look so very different. Photos to follow!

You can just see the gardener watering our cucumber plants, which are living next to the very beautiful Slim Dusty rose, a gift from Jan Pengilley

We've enjoyed quite a social week with Zoom chats with Mike & Linda, Leanne, Jeff, Terry, Kathy, Paul, Mike & Barry. As well Wes has chatted with friends on the phone, exchanged emails with lots of well-wishers & enjoyed the responses to our Christmas cards, letters & emails.

It is getting busier around the Lake, even early when we are walking - apart from Robert, who is on a stick & needs to walk early to avoid the crowds, and Barry, who likes to fish before too many people stop to chat; there are now quite a few runners, the odd walker with a dog - some friendly and on leads, some not. I have gone back to wearing disposable gloves & carrying a bag in which to place rubbish - a typical haul is a couple of masks, an odd sock, a pair of child's plastic shoes, umpteen tissues, a couple of drink cans & bottles, some chip wrappers and discarded doggie bags. I even found a plastic container of tomato sauce one morning!

We've been able to spend lots of time in the garden and I've been busy cutting our beautiful roses. I usually give Dene next door a bunch on Friday and had forgotten, only to discover he really wanted two bunches as they had visitors for the weekend. Fortunately, with 118 rose bushes (give or take), there were enough blooms for them as well as us!

One of many puzzling poses that Lewis & Morse assume while waiting for dinner time

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 29th November 2020

Last Sunday, after 23 days of no new COVID cases & no new deaths, Dan Andrews announced the further easing of restrictions for Victorians. Quite a few of us & our friends are very reluctant to completely abandon mask wearing outdoors, as it has been so successful in keeping us healthier than any other year in ages. 

Last week's Snoopy had the best reception ever - it's going to be very hard to follow! Wes tells me it was Lewis to a T.

We enjoyed a noisy but happy breakfast with Sandy, David, Judi, Janine, Glen & Rhonda, where we laughed at Sandy's story of not being able to find Wombat Hill House in the Botanic Gardens (she was looking for a cafe, not a house!). Everyone had something to share & it was wonderful to be together doing something so very normal.

On Monday morning, we were wakened at 4.30am by two very excited Labradors bursting into our bedroom. We had left open the sliding door into the kitchen from outside & it was an easy matter for Lewis to slide the flywire screen across & invite Morse in with him. Wes got up & put them back to bed, where they sat looking very pleased with themselves, until it was time to go for our walk. It had bucketed down the afternoon & evening before, but we were able to get a lap of Lake Daylesford done before the rain returned. We had 23mls in total, not as much as some areas, where streets were flooded & trees uprooted. 

Our clothes dryer decided to give up the ghost over the weekend, so we headed into our local Mitre 10/Bi-Rite, to chat with Tim. It is 16 years since he installed our Westinghouse, which had caused no dramas over that time, but suddenly needed to be replaced. As well, Wes asked his advice about a hedge-trimmer and walked away the proud possessor of a Nikita battery- operated model. 

Front hedging with the new trimmer

While we were involved in School, which was the repositioning of artwork & photos in the study, Lewis & Morse found themselves in the guest room, which is off bounds. They spotted the holly sitting on the Christmas pudding & promptly snaffled it, fortunately leaving the pudding itself intact, although there were a few moments of horror when we saw the fake holly & berries sitting in pieces on the floor!

Judi & I had a most enjoyable breakfast at Muffins & More, and decided, if Kelly agrees, that we would love to resume our Mah Jong playing there next year at the end of January, when the school holidays are over. Everywhere has been scrubbed clean, all the cushions removed, the plants put outside & the games have vanished. 

We posted most of our Christmas cards during the week, because the mail has been so slow - this meant that some friends received theirs the next day! 

I've been busy confirming my various appointments for next year (subject to COVID-19 of course) - nails, hair & facials are all locked in, as well as Mah Jong games & deliveries. I am looking forward to seeing my sister, Leanne, again, but that won't be until February, once we see what has happened with the re-opening of State borders & the arrival of International travellers. I am hopeful that most of my regular Zoom chats will continue as I really enjoy keeping in touch with Leanne, Kathy, Karen, Joyce, Jeff, Terry & Jan that way. Thanks everyone for making this happen & giving me such support during this year. 

We're very happy with this corner of the study, which includes a beautiful abstract by George Jackson; my much-loved Japanese sewing box (thank you Jane & Sherryn), equally loved 'mad' teapot (thank you Cheryl) - both sitting on top of Viva's rosewood pianola rolls cabinet, and our quirky oak cabinet. Up on the right hand wall are our 40-year ALP Life Memberships.

Yesterday we had a visit from Jamie Grant of Fells Electrical Service as we have need a few small jobs done - power points replaced or added and an exhaust fan in the laundry. He has agreed to mount our clothes dryer on the wall for us, which is a big relief as we have been unable to find anyone to do that. All the handypersons are extremely busy with jobs for those of us who live here & have been at home finding out what needs doing, as well as those who have moved or are moving here from Melbourne. Lewis & Morse were delighted to see Jamie again, as we sometimes meet very early in the morning when he and a mate are cycling around Lake Daylesford.

Dogwood in full bloom with our one beautiful rhododendron - you can just see the tomato plants on the left which are thriving too

Last night, we were very disappointed when the Melbourne Stars were completely outplayed by the Sydney Thunder in the Final of the WBBL, after a wonderful competition, where the Stars were easily the best team. However, the Thunder brought more enthusiasm with their skill, and looked the winners from the very first ball they bowled. Congratulations to everyone involved - it's been great to watch. 

It was wet & windy at 5.30am today, so we gave the walk a miss, fed the boys early & I went back to bed with a pot of tea & the Sunday Age. It's a lovely way to start the day and I really appreciated the extra rest. The rain seems to have died down and we're heading off to the Sunday Market, before breakfast with seven other friends at the Food Gallery. 😋😋

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 22nd November 2020

We started our week with a lovely catch up breakfast on Sunday morning after the Market. Daylesford had been bustling with visitors (they're the ones not wearing masks) and it was such a thrill to sit out of sight at the back of the Food Gallery & spend time with Judi, Glen, Sandy, David & Rhonda. We had so much to talk about as this was the largest gathering most of us had been in since March.

On Monday, we tackled re-arranging our study before attempting to change the paintings, posters and certificates on the walls. It was quite a big exercise, but we are very pleased with the end result. Wes had been working on a table that Viva had given him, an old dining table with a central leaf that vanishes underneath when you don't need it. He decided to try using his old-fashioned timber desk and is enjoying the change. We moved the bar fridge out to under the house, shifted two filing cabinets, the Jason recliner & two cupboards & have given ourselves a lot more room than we had before. 

We had to go out & buy Lewis & Morse a new comfy bed, and we also bought some clear heavy duty plastic sheets to protect the cork tiling, as well as replenishing Jamieson & Hendricks decanters. While all this was happening, Judi dropped off a large jar of her cumquat marmalade, Australia Post delivered two boxes of red wine from South Australia, two friends messaged to change appointments, and we missed our regular Zoom chat with the Kirbys as the time difference between Victoria & Queensland played havoc with our diaries. 

Top - my desk; Centre - dining table under the Map of the World, and Bottom - Wes's desk & recliner

I've had a few chats - two Zooms with Leanne; a lovely long Skype with Jeff in Torksey Lock; another Zoom with Kathy Lazzaro and a few local phone calls. As well, Judi and I had brunch at Bad Habits Cafe at the Convent Gallery, where we were beautifully spoiled by Marija, who has worked there as long as I can remember. Judi had asked if she could bring some loose-leaf Jasmine tea, and that was a lovely surprise for me. We shared a big teapot and sat happily for over an hour in a private corner with a gentle breeze & a stunning view. 

Tuesday was Wes's birthday. The boys and I had noticed that he wasn't enjoying reading recently, so Lewis picked up a copy of Hilary Mantel's The Mirror & the Light, and Morse sent away for a Bernard Cornwell trilogy - The Warlord Chronicles (a story of Arthur). These were much appreciated when given! I have a tradition of buying Sweet Decadence chilli chocolates (as these were made by Alan & Kaye Harrison by request from Wes back when he was Mayor). Wes's main gift is a hedge trimmer, which he gets to choose himself.

We enjoyed a lovely day - garden in the morning, followed by a trip into Vincent Street to get fresh prawns from Daylesford Fish Supply (Closed - Gone Fishing for a fortnight) & Stilton from Winespeake (none - we used to have it, try a similar Australian product). The afternoon was spent in our newly re-organised study, finding new homes for bits & pieces, as we have removed three places where stuff could accumulate! 

That night, our neighbour, Glen, left a lovely bottle of St Hallett Black Clay Shiraz at our doorstep, with a slab of chocolate & a single red rose. We needed no encouragement to open the bottle at once, and it was the perfect accompaniment to the garlic prawns with asparagus that Wes cooked for dinner. We got stuck into a bottle of botrytis semillon with the cheese & chocolate, and needed a couple of days without drinking to recover!

Wes has enjoyed a Climate Change webinar; had a very successful chat with past Mayor,s & a final Zoom with Paul, Barry & Mike wrapping up the US election and discussing how superior the health systems in the UK & Australia are compared to the US. 

We were invited next door for morning tea by Rob Griffin and it was just delightful to sit out on his balcony with a pot of tea and treats and chat for 30 minutes or so - the sort of thing we used to do quite often in the past. 

This year, Wes and I have jointly written our Christmas letter, which will be going out in our Christmas cards or by email, which will probably be more reliable! We have made use of the compressed dining table to set out the cards & write them when we feel like it. In the past I would carry everything upstairs to our dining table, but this is much more efficient!

Morse & Lewis getting used to their new roomy study bed

Yesterday I made our Christmas pudding. The house is still full of that delightful aroma of hot fruit, butter & rum. Wes spent the morning in the front garden before it got too hot & he retreated inside for a break. Daylesford is busy again this weekend, so we have been avoiding Vincent Street, and even though I am keen to visit our new shop - Blake Family Grocers - I'm happy to wait until tomorrow after School. 

We had decided to take box quinella on the Ballarat Cup, the final meeting of the Spring Racing Carnival & asked Squiz & Danny for their picks. Danny picked 17 (Irish Flame) as it used to be his Preston YCW footy jumper number, Squiz picked no 2 (Harlem), Wes went for the favourite & local horse no 10 (Affair to Remember) and I picked no 4 (Junipal) as it was one of the fancies. No 17 beat no 10 in an exciting finish, with no 2 just edged out of 3rd spot. We had the quinella twice ($87) & were a whisker off the trifecta (which paid over $2,000 - I had taken a 50c trifecta without telling anyone and $250 each was looking good until the very finish). It was a great finish to a fun carnival, made better by sharing bets with Squiz & Danny. Thank you both. 

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 15th November 2020

 

With apologies to everyone who missed the Snoopy cartoon last Sunday - Lewis & Morse would agree 100% with Snoopy

We enjoyed an enjoyable start to the week with a bustling, but COVID safe Sunday Market, followed by a delightful breakfast at The Food Gallery, where Pasquale & Toni had created a special space for locals behind a partition, next to the kitchen. We sat at the lovely oval table, which easily seats 6 and look forward to being able to gradually increase numbers as the restrictions ease. In fact, there will be 7 of us at breakfast this morning - a big crowd as far as the Maloneys are concerned!

As Victoria had registered its 9th day in a row of no new cases & no deaths, Premier Dan Andrews announced that all Victorians can visit each other & that premises can invite larger numbers than before. We are understandably nervous about the influx of visitors that Daylesford will receive, but so pleased that families will be able to visit each other again.

Wes & I both spent Sunday morning in the garden - me preparing the pots out the front for cucumber seedlings and him weeding, mulching, mowing & watering a good section of the back yard. Our strawberries are flowering profusely, all the lemon trees are looking better for being fed with chicken manure, the tomato plants all have flowers and the roses are plentiful enough for me to cut enough for vases. Bliss!

Irises, freesia roses, tomato seedlings & strawberries all thriving in our front yard

School on Monday was a continuation of our project to label, catalogue & rehang our artworks. When Sandra arrived to clean on Wednesday morning she really approved of the changes, especially at the front door & was delighted to know that all the paintings had been dusted & cleaned very recently. We should be able to start downstairs tomorrow, where we have to re-organise the hallway, guest bedroom & study. We are planning to shift the furniture in the study as well, so it will be a big job, taking some weeks yet. 

We have enjoyed some lovely Zoom chats - I've had three with Leanne and Wes has had two with Barbara in NZ. As well we both chatted with Jan Pengilley, & her daughter, Tara, in Maleny - a most amusing & stimulating discussion of local politics, Trump, 17th year old birthday parties with glimpses of Labradors (ours) in the background. I also had a good catch up with old friends, Kathy Lazzaro, Karen Stevenson & Joyce Spiteri, where we swapped stories of how we are feeling with the lessening of restrictions. I don't think I will feel really comfortable until I have been vaccinated against COVID-19 sometime next year. 

Beautiful fragrant old-fashioned roses on the dining table

Wes watched a webinar Book Launch by Dr Jenny Hocking, who has been campaigning for years for access to the Palace letters regarding the Whitlam dismissal. It is so disappointing to discover that the Queen & Prince Charles were involved and that due process wasn't observed. It remains a low point in Australian democracy. He also saw another poignant webinar interviewing non-Aboriginal Australians who were placed in orphanages, and the effect it had on them all these years later. The thought of going into aged care homes terrifies them & brings back memories of when they were a number, not a name, had very few possessions and had no choices in their lives. 

We had hoped to go for a family drive on Thursday, but I have been tiring easily for some reason (like doing too much), so we postponed our visit to Kyneton and I have spent most of my afternoons very quietly indeed. I am encouraged to pick roses, so you will be getting lots of photos of the vases over the coming months. 

Lewis & Morse have got us completely tricked with how they are able to remove plastic pots protecting our zucchini plants without touching the plants or wrecking the posts & wire netting set up to stop them from getting into the beds. My theory is that Lewis holds Morse's hind legs, so he can lean over and grab the pots. What do you think?

It was wonderful to spend time with Dot & John Smith over cuppas at Harvest Cafe. They were both looking well & have been, like us, very sensible during lockdown. We discussed their family as well as the possibility of Mah Jong restarting next year. Also, Wes received an unexpected & very welcome phone call from Adam Turner, Becky's husband, to thank us for the birthday cards we send. He loves being a grand-father to Emily's two beautiful girls, Violet & Matilda.

Took this photo yesterday afternoon - local kookaburra enhancing Rob & Dene's For Sale sign at 80 Duke Street

Daylesford Cup Carnival Dispatch - Sunday, 8th November 2020

It's been a fun & busy week once again. We started on Sunday with a good early walk, followed by the Market, and then breakfast with Judi & Janine, where there was plenty to discuss including pond sagas, the future of working in offices, Janine's visit to Camperdown, ours to Trentham and the lack of relevancy that we are all feeling as we get older & operate in old-fashioned ways compared to the younger generations. It has always been so and we are certainly experiencing it now. 

On Monday morning, I was able to spend time with Fiona (Annie's daughter) and Maisie, before they left for Fremantle on Thursday morning. We had toasted sandwiches at Larder & discussed her time here in Daylesford, where she gave Annie a wonderful treat every day of her life. 

Maisie trimmed & ready for her big adventure

Back home, we chatted to Mike & Linda Kirby, who have just celebrated their 24th wedding Anniversary & whose daughter, Lauren, turned 21 on Cup Day. They told us they had been invited to a Cup Day lunch at the complex where they live, with the proviso that they don't bring any Melbournians with them. We're all not sure that any Melbournians have been allowed into Queensland, as their borders are closed to Victoria! 

We enjoyed Cup Day by putting on a $5 bet on each race & sharing in an 8-horse quinella shouted by Danny Millman. Wes, Squiz, Danny & I all chose two horses, but we didn't put the eventual winner into it. We had a couple of collects ourselves and ended up $11 in the black. It has been strange to watch the Carnival being run without crowds & Fashion in the Fields was held off-course in parks & homes. 

In between race days, we spent our time watching the US election results & being amazed at the incredible support of Donald Trump by American voters. Wes had a long chat with his Pom & Yank friends early in the day, while I did my Wednesday morning deliveries & finished by meeting Judi at Harvest Cafe for a very yummy late breakfast of mushrooms on toast. We then investigated Daylesford's newest shops - Cedar & Sage and The Farmer's Wife, before checking out the wine & cheese offerings in Winespeake. 

We woke on Thursday to find that Biden had all but won the election, much to Trump's disgust & disbelief. Wes drove Annie's daughter, Fiona, and dog, Maisie, to Melbourne Airport to catch a flight to Fremantle. I did the supermarket shopping and then gave Lewis & Morse birthday bones. Can't believe they are already two!

Lewis & Morse waiting for their lunch treat of biscuits with Vegemite

Our Oaks Day tipping wasn't very successful, but we did enjoy some good racing & exciting finishes. The Oaks winner, Personal, is a beautiful looking horse and should be a star for some years to come. 

It was a mixed bag this week as far as gardening goes - the boys unearthed all the wet newspaper that I had laid under the sugar cane mulch & strewed it around the yard, their decking & their bedroom AKA the laundry; 7 of the 8 scarlet runner beans are thriving; I planted 6 tomato plants in the front where we can use snail bait and am hopeful they are in a better spot than last year's plants & will give us a better crop; the roses are coming out singly, but it won't be long before I can cut enough for serious big vases of colour; the grass is starting to cover the racing track, and everywhere offers exciting glimpses of colour & growth. 

Beautiful positioning in the front garden of the weeping Japanese maple with a very pretty mauve flowering bush behind it

As well, yesterday, while I watched all our selections get pipped at the post on Stakes Day, Wes spent most of the afternoon making the zucchini beds impregnable & then took some large pots out the front as I want to try growing cucumbers. Squiz had shouted us & Danny quinellas on all the races & we ended up ahead, mostly thanks to an unexpected win by Sansom in the Chattam Stakes. 

We've woken this morning to the news that Joe Biden has won Pennysylvania and now has enough electoral votes to become the next President. What a relief!

Daylesford Cup Carnival Dispatch - Sunday, 1st November 2020

Last Sunday was freezing cold and it started to rain as we were walking around Lake Daylesford, so we only did one lap, which was more than enough for everyone! The stall-holders were suffering at the Sunday Market as they tried to make sure their tents stayed secure. Yvonne was in good spirits and greeted her locals happily, while praying that visitors didn't arrive too early, so she could get all her produce out.

    Wes watching the grand Final with Morse & Lewis on his lap

Sunday Breakfast at the Food Gallery was most enjoyable. We were joined by Glenda Rozen, our very first Daylesford friend, who sold us 78 Duke Street, when no other Estate Agent was interested in listening to us. Glenda's husband, Joe, was unable to come as he can't walk any distance at present. We'll have to visit him soon and catch up. Conversations ranged over all sorts of topics - Janine had been to the village of Great Western and loved the wineries there; we talked about our trip to Guildford; Glenda is a Geelong supporter & we debriefed about the Grand Final the night before, as well as discussing great meals, the local Good Grub Club, Trump, China & Chinese medicine.

We came home and I mananged, in spite of the wind, to weed the Freesia Rose garden bed. I put newspaper down & covered it in sugar cane mulch in the hope of preventing most of the weeds from re-appearing. I watered it in well as the wind was very strong and was pleased it had stayed intact overnight.

On Monday morning we headed on a family drive to Ballarat to a specialist shoe shop, Faull's, where I was fitted for a new pair of Rockport everyday shoes. I have been wearing the same Hush Puppies Body Shoes for at least 30 years & my latest pair were hurting my feet. When I visited my podiatrist last week, she instantly knew that Hush Puppies had changed the shape of the shoes & that they were no longer suitable for me, especially with my orthotics & wide feet. I hope to collect my new shoes in a week or so, after being very impressed with Pauline at Faull's.

We had School on Tuesday morning, where Wes photographed many of the paintings that are in position upstairs, while I cleaned & affixed labels to the back of a dozen or so that we moved. We completely re-organised the main bathroom Artworks & ran out of time to look at the laundry & lounge. We knew this project would take time & we are happy to do it slowly but well. 

It was 30 years this month since I last drank a cup of coffee. We took Danny Millman & Jan McClean to the 1990 Cox Plate, started the day with a jug of martinis, and finished by singing raucously in the Silks Lounge. When I surfaced the next morning, Wes brought me a coffee & I couldn't bear the smell of it! Thank God I wasn't turned off bubbles, or wine or something that really mattered - Jasmine tea was already a favourite & it has hit the spot ever since. 

Jan, Wes, Danny & Karen in the Silks Lounge after the race meeting was long finished! We were celebrating Collingwood's Premiership (after a 32 year drought)

We're having one of those months where things need replacing - the rice cooker bowl lost its non-stick coating, the ducted heating vents all cracked, the vacuum cleaner misbehaved, the clothes dryer lint filter went to pieces and we started to run out of wine! Fortunately all these things are solvable and parcels seem to be delivered much more quickly than letters & cards. 

Judi & I had lunch at Cliffy's, which was most enjoyable. Judi had rung & booked a 1pm slot indoors, where spatial distancing was observed, and a very enticing menu was on offer. We both had eggs - hers were Turkish style & mine was an omelette. Both meals were very yummy & we caught up on each other's news, after not chatting for a week. 

On Thursday, after Kathy Lazzaro & I enjoyed a lovely Zoom catch-up, we all hopped in the car & drove to Trentham. We stopped at Trentham Falls, where it is impossible to get anywhere near as close to the water as it used to be. The boys were excited to be somewhere different & there was only one other car, nowhere near us. 

Afterwards we went to Chaplin's at the Muse for morning tea. It was lovely to sit on the front lawn in the sun with yummy carrot cake slices & hot drinks. Lewis & Morse couldn't settle once we had our cake, so they spent some time in the car before we joined them & drove home after touring around Trentham & marvelling at all the new homes built or being built. 

Me with Lewis & Morse outside Chaplin's at the Muse

On Friday morning we re-introduced socialising Lewis & Morse outside The Food Gallery. This wasn't as successful as we would have liked as both boys reacted to any dog coming within cooee of them. They obviously need some more training. As for people - our friend & fellow Labrador-lover, George Jackson, a large man, was nearly bowled over by their affectionate greeting for him. 

Yesterday we started our morning with a lovely breakfast with our neighbours, Rob & Dene, at Larder. They have put their home on the market and are looking for their next place to live. We will miss them but are excited for them & what the future holds!

While we were away Lewis & Morse worked out how to get under the wire protecting our zucchini beds and slurped the beer and ate the eggshells that I had placed there earlier to deter snails. Wes is now considering Plan B!

Morse sleeping it off!

Wes had invited Mate & Squiz to join us in choosing horses for Derby Day quinellas, which allowed for a small outlay of $13.50 per head. Our first collect was $3.30, which wasn't quite what we were looking for, however, our second, $7.80 was more like it. Sadly, that was the end of our collects, but it was a great day's racing with Cup Day, Oaks Day & Stakes Day all beckoning.

Derby Day roses - our first vase for Spring

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 25th October 2020

What a lovely Sunday we had after sending off the Dispatch. We had a fun visit to the Sunday Market, collecting heaps of things from Yvonne, bread from Ken, dog treats from Jeff & tomato seedlings from the other Ken. There were lots of friends to chat with - Steve, the paper deliverer, Jan & Bev, who follow St Kilda & Collingwood & are always up for a footy chat, John from the Daylesford Railway, Robyn from U3A and a few other familiar faces.

Lewis & Morse listening to the Coodabeens with me

Breakfast with Judi & Janine was good as well - lots of conversations - we chatted about the word "cloche" and discovered its original meaning; about Janine's trip to Bendigo Pottery; Judi & Michael's visit to Mt Beckworth; Wes's fencing off garden beds only to find Lewis & Morse inside them with him, and Judi's welcome by the dogs, who nearly knocked her over when she & Michael arrived to visit - among other things.

When we arrived home I went straight to the garden to put special vegetable-growing soil & sugar cane mulch on the aforementioned garden beds, before planting zucchini seedlings in them. I also pulled out the snow peas, which have been prolific this season and sowed dwarf Purple Queen beans in the newly refurbished planter box in the greenhouse. I then tackled the pots on the decking by pulling out the parsley & coriander, which were going to seed, putting fresh soil in most of the pots & adding mulch to them. 

This lovely bundle of wool was delivered to me by Kim Lyden - thank you so much - some great colours to work with there

That night, Wes joined Danny, Tom & Squiz in a great Zoom session to celebrate the Climb Every Mountain Choral Society, which was a wonderful organisation that flourished in the 70s & 80s & was memorable for the cricket matches that brought so many of our friends together. I had hoped to participate, but found myself too anxious to cope, so missed out on seeing - Kathy, Gerard & David; Lib & Becky; Karen, Lauren, Greta & Celia; Bobby & Marilyn; Brendan; Mike & Kathey. I did participate in Squiz's Quiz, which was 10 cryptic clues leading to Brownlow Medallists & was very disappointed to score 5, although Squiz assures me that a couple of my answers rated Honourable Mentions!

We've had another busy week - Wes spent time on Zoom with Barbara, and they were joined by David & Sandy on Monday afternoon; he also spoke with Paul, Barry & Mike discussing American politics, particularly the election. I caught up with Leanne (twice); Terry Borg, and old friends - Kathy, Karen & Joyce.

This jumper & beanie set has occupied me for some time - thanks to Kathy for the pattern & encouragement. I adapted it to fit a standard child's set-in sleeves jumper & am pleased with the result! Hopefully it will keep some small person in Daylesford warm next Winter.

While Wes has been weeding both front & back gardens, and we've been having competitions to find the first rose (yes, we are way behind Melbourne); I've been planting chillis, basil & a fresh batch of parsley in the newly refurbished planter boxes. 

The Duke Street Daylesford Gardener with accessories!

We are continuing to use our School sessions to rehang paintings and this week we focussed on the front entrance & hallway. We moved the hallstand, which enabled us to reposition the Door Gods, and we are very happy with the changes we made. I have bought some plastic stops to put on the bottom of the paintings to stop them damaging the walls, and Wes has got the camera ready to take photos, which we will attach to our Art Inventory. 

We had lunch together at Jackie's on Vincent unexpectedly, on a beautiful Spring day, and both of us chose different dishes from our usual ones & enjoyed them very much. Lisa greeted us with big smiles and knew that I would want a pot of Jasmine tea & that Wes would like a glass of local Shiraz. Just as we were leaving, local friends, Jack & Michelle Walker arrived to have lunch with some of their family. 

I also had a most enjoyable lunch with Judi & Gillie at Harvest Cafe, which is open again for meals after giving its staff some holiday time. It was very busy as it offers yummy, mostly vegetarian & vegan meals, which are much in demand. I had a frittata & the other two opted for beef & mushroom pies with puff pastry. All three meals were served with generous sides of salad. 

Glorious Lake Daylesford dawn thanks to Frank Page

Wes spent almost an hour up on our roof one morning removing weeds from the gutters. It is a nerve-wracking & tricky job, especially at the very end, getting down the ladder, which was perched on the dog decking. I stayed by the tap all the time ready to turn it off or on, and pacified Lewis & Morse, who were convinced the weed clumps were alive, until Morse plucked up the courage to grab one as it landed & take it away with him for investigation!

Chillis, chives, basil mint, Winter savoury & strawberries

Yesterday morning it was too wet to walk early, but the boys never say no to an early breakfast. We enjoyed listening to the Coodabeen Champions' Grand Final show - their last for this year, including 30 minutes live on Facebook, where they sang songs & Torch took Talkback callers. 

Wes thought it would be a good idea to go for a family drive, so we all hopped in the car and went to the village of Guildford, about 2 7kms away. We stopped at their General Store & bought a Bee-sting for Wes & Bread & Butter Pudding cake for me. Both items made for a very yummy afternoon tea.

It was my turn to choose our method of betting for Cox Plate Day at Moonee Valley & overnight I decided we would put $5 on the nose on one horse per race. We chatted about the selections & wouldn't you know it - I talked Wes out of a horse that won at $11. However, we had some collects & turned $50 into $87, which was a very welcome change after some poor Saturdays.

Then we settled down to watch the Grand Final - at night, at the Gabba, and in the pouring rain. It was a very even contest at the start, but eventually Richmond overpowered Geelong to win comfortably and create a modern dynasty - three flags in the past four years. And Dusty Martin won his third Norm Smith medal for best on ground - what a champion he is, especially when it comes to Finals. 

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 18th October 2020

We started our week with our usual walk meeting no-one last Sunday, followed by a lovely visit to the Sunday Market, where Yvonne was very generous with fruit for the boys. They have been enjoying pears & apples as treats this week in lieu of dried ones or biscuits. Then breakfast with Judi & Janine, where we sat happily chatting about many things including COVID-19, wills, Donald Trump, ponds & lakes & the eccentricities of others (it's never us!).

For everyone who missed their fix of Lewis & Morse last week, here they are asleep together - Lewis has his eyes open!

We arrived back home with lemons from Janine - so much fruit that I am running out of receptacles to put it in! After I had caught up on all the texts from Collingwood, Geelong & neutral friends, I headed into the garden, where Wes was already hard at work weeding in the back & later mowing. I had bought 5 punnets of pleasure including carpet petunias, dwarf carnations & purple alyssum & there were plenty of pots ready & waiting for them. My biggest worry was that Lewis & Morse would dig them out, but so far so good.

We were too busy with Zoom chats to have School on Monday, so moved it to Tuesday instead. It was an interesting & tiring time taking paintings down, labelling them & deciding where they would go next. We are quite happy with the changes we have made in our bedroom & upstairs bathroom & look forward to doing some more tomorrow. 

Our Weeping Japanese Maple just loving its new home in the front garden

Wes has had Zoom meetings with old friends - Danny, Tom & Squiz; with Paul Jackson in the Cotswolds; with old schoolfriends talking about their druthers; with local friend, Jeff Bain, talking about the American election; with some of his cousins; with Paul, Barry & Mike discussing how America will look in 50 years; and with Barbara, where they were joined by Janine on Monday afternoon. 

I've chatted twice to Leanne, caught up with Jan Pengilley in Maleny & spoken at length with Kathy Lazzaro. I also had a lovely cuppa catch up with neighbour, Glen, in Larder, and lunch with Judi Allen & Sue Longley at Wombat Hill House on a perfect Spring day. The service at this cafe always leaves something to be desired & this was no exception. After we had waited 45 minutes for our lunch, Judi checked to discover that "the piece of paper didn't make it into the kitchen". Our meals were labelled express & arrived 15 minutes later!

Wes spent quite a lot of time rescuing a couple of the garden beds in the back that were originally planned for vegetables, but that had to be abandoned as Bilbo & Frodo ate everything before it ripened. He has enclosed them in wire, including wire doors & bought me plenty of manure, vegetable-growing soil & sugar cane mulch. I am planning to make up the beds & plant zucchini seedlings in them today, and have promised him that his labours will be worthwhile. We have left a couple of beds for the boys, so they can stickybeak at Glen's place when she is out in the garden!

On Friday morning, I drove to Ballarat for a teeth clean, which is always very satisfying. It was a mid-morning appointment & the traffic was light both ways, which made the 90 minute round trip more enjoyable than it sometimes can be. 

That afternoon we had invited Judi & Michael for afternoon tea - the first time anyone has been into our home (apart from Sandra, our cleaner), since March. It was lovely to sit around our dining table sharing pastizzi, cheeses, pastries, good wines & great conversations. We felt very comfortable with their company as we know they have been careful, as we have. The only issue was the welcome that they received, especially Judi, from Lewis & Morse, who were so delighted that they just about knocked her over in their excitement. 

That night we lasted until half-time in the footy, when Richmond & Port Adelaide were level and woke to discover the Tigers had won by 6 points in a tough, close, low-scoring match. 

Yesterday morning I visited the Post Office to discover a parcel from Joyce Spiteri, which contained Snoopy & Woodstock that she had made for me. This is a new craft called amigurumi, which I have never seen, let alone heard of - Joyce found it on YouTube & produced these cute little characters. Thank you so much!!!

We had a quiet Saturday after the excitement of visitors the previous afternoon. Apart from a few chores, listening to The Coodabeens and having bets on Caulfield Cup Day, we did very little. It was too wet to walk early, but the boys were happy to sit at our feet, wherever we were, as they were exhausted from greeting Judi, as well as the extra long walk on Friday morning. That night Wes made pizzas & we lasted until half-time in the Brisbane - Geelong game, and weren't surprised when we woke this morning to find that the Cats had finished all over the Lions.

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 11th October 2020

We started our week on such a high after Collingwood's win and breezed through shopping at the Sunday Market, where it was a little more relaxed than the previous week. All our Saints & Magpie supporting friends were on Cloud Nine and lots of texts were sent & received. We had started our Spring Racing Carnival assault on the Saturday with indifferent results, but it was great to watch good racing on TV and get excited about the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Our dear friend, Annie Smith, had died on Friday, 2nd October, and we were lucky enough to be invited to her funeral, which was held on Thursday at St Peter's Catholic Church. We shared so much with Annie & David before David's untimely death back in 2007. Since then, Annie & I have done different things together & especially in the 20 months since she was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. Her attitude was so positive that it contributed to her surviving 16 months more than originally expected. This was helped by the love & devotion of her daughter, Fiona, who put her life in Freo on hold & dedicated her time to making Annie's every day something special.

Lovely photo of Annie, Fiona & Karen at the Open Garden in Mollongghip, November 2019

Annie's devoted Irish Water Spaniel, Maisie

Annie's funeral was the wettest & windiest we have ever attended (40 mls of rain overnight & another 40 mls during the next 24 hours). There were 20 of us in St Peter's Catholic Church, all windswept & cold just from getting out of our cars. Annie's casket was made of cream wool & looked very stylish. Maisie was allowed to sit in the front pew with Fiona and behaved impeccably as she always does. Wes gave the reading, another friend, Greg, delivered the eulogy & we enjoyed a selection of photos at the end. 

At the cemetery, the weather was atrocious & my umbrella completely forgot its manners & turned into a mess of spikes & nylon. Fiona was cold & put on Annie's gloves that she had brought to place on the coffin, only to discover she had two right hand gloves. We all laughed & agreed Annie would have been most amused. Getting the coffin into David's grave was tricky because of the headstone in front of him, so Wes & others ended up doing the carrying & lowering down, which was very special. 

We were unable to gather for drinks afterwards, so we came home via the fish & chip shop, changed into dry clothes & opened a good bottle of Great Western Sparkling Shiraz (thanks Rob & Dene) to celebrate Annie's life. She would have approved. 

On Monday, our School session had involved going into our bedroom & checking the names, dates & subject matter of each of the 15 paintings there. We decided it would be too much to get them all off the wall at this time, and are planning that for tomorrow. We will photograph them, no doubt dust some of them, and the walls, and replace those that we would like to move from that room. 

I have been walking around Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens, thinking of all the times Annie & I walked there, first with Woody & more recently with Maisie. In the very early days, we used to have Sunday afternoon picnics with a handful of friends on the lawn. The gardens are looking particularly beautiful at present. 

from the top - Azaleas, Weeping Japanese Maple, Rhododendron & Tulips

I've been busy Zooming again - spoken twice with my sister, Leanne,; had a good, long chat with aunt, Jeff, in Lincolnshire; caught up with old friends, Kathy & Karen; enjoyed speaking with local friend, Dot Smith,; and failed to connect properly with Sydney mate, Jane Knox, so we spoke on the phone instead. Wes had a great conversation with his English & American friends; as well as a long chat with Mike & Linda Kirby in Queensland. He also talks to Barbara Simpson in NZ on Mondays & Fridays; &, this week, Gail & Terry White joined them from Katoomba. 

Yesterday's bets for Caulfield Guineas were mostly unsuccessful, (and we were down $30 in spite of a trifecta & two quinellas) but we are getting to know the horse & colours & enjoying the atmosphere. On Friday night, Richmond were too good for St Kilda, which brought their season to a close and last night Geelong completely dismantled Collingwood's game. Thanks to everyone for your commiserations, words of encouragement & messages of glee!

Lake Daylesford yesterday morning with Barry the fisherman casting his line in the mist