What a fabulous weekend we had!
Despite no sport commitments we still arrived mid afternoon. Mad and I drove up in my car, and Justin and Fraser left a little later in the ute. - taking our king size bed /mattress & base, & trestle tables, and therefore having to drive a bit slower. Poor Justin, had already driven up to Inglewood the day before with Alex - taking up the BBQ and some some fold up chairs - as we were planning on some entertaining this weekend.
So, got to Inglewood around 3pm - and unpacked the once again full car - more bedding, Justin's telescope, more chairs, bits and pieces etc
Justin and Fraser arrived about 1/2 hour later, and Becky and Elise soon after that. Becky came with some wine, some watermelon, and a lovely Quest calendar - featuring the adorable Joy - her rescued miniature foal.
Chatted for a little while, and then thought it somewhat rude and churlish not to open Becky's gift of red wine. The unfortunate thing was that we of all people did not have a bottle opener. Unthinkable! We had previously only brought up sparkling wine, and had bought screw top wine from Water Wheel a couple of weeks ago. So Justin made the 1st of many trips across to the IGA to buy a bottle opener. Meanwhile, Becky and I trooped up to the veranda with an opened bottle of Water Wheel and Becky's red. I had brought up our more "luxurious" camp chairs with the leg rests, we were very comfortable!!
I was just pouring us a glass each, when Gordon showed up to say hello. (We had noticed that he's cut the grass again and I must say, it was looking pretty good, the 1st cut was rougher, I guess because it had been pretty long to begin with, this cut was more manicured. We'll be playing croquet on the south lawn in no time! (just joking!) )
Anyway, I invited him up for a glass - teased him first saying that he must have known that we were just cracking open the bottle. Justin came back soon afterwards with the bottle opener
So, we sat and chatted, and drank and chatted, and watched people walk and drive by. On lady drove by slowly and expansively called out welcome to us. I assumed that she knew Becky, but no she didn't. Other people just drove and walked by and waved, Gordon knew them, I of course waved back - it was lovely!
Alex, Prue and April arrived around 5.30 or so; they had elected to come up and help us start renovating. Very kind of them. Around this time, we had another visitor, Jill, a friend of Justin's uncle Miles who had mentioned that we had bought the house. She lived about 10km up the road in Kilgower, and was involved with the Passing Clouds winery (which has recently moved production across to Daylesford). Anyway, she was very hospitable and invited us to go and visit her next time we are up, said they have a movie night - 1st Saturday of the month, etc etc.
I showed her around a bit, she was interested in the garden, had chatted with the previous owner over the years and swapped cuttings etc, but had never actually been in the garden.
Justin and I also assembled our new bed in the 2nd front room, put on all the new linen etc - I was looking forward to sleeping in it, as it looked very comfortable.
Also checked out the peach tree out the back, Alex had told me how when he had been up with Justin the day before, they had seen the draftsman who had been very enthusiastic about the peaches, sayng that they were old fashioned ones - and you couldn't buy them in the shops. Unfortunately there weren't many left on the tree, but I did manage to find one, and had a photo taken for posterity. For the record, the peach was quite nice, but could have been a little sweeter. Nevertheless, I was thrilled to be eating our own harvest, Mad pointed out to me that I didn't plant it, didn't actually have anything to do with it, but that wasn't the point
Whiled away the rest of the afternoon, and then met up at the pub - Royal again at 6.30. Took a detour along the main street as I wanted to show Prue the fabulous pumpkins growing on the main street, however they had been harvested/disappeared. I was a bit disappointed as I had wanted to take a photo of them. Grapes were still there though.
Took a photo of the girls in front of the Inglewood mural - including our house - it was a lovely sunny day/evening , so unfortunately they were squinting a bit
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The pub was a bit crowded again - so went into the back/private room again - hope that we don't look snooty! But there was just no room for the 9 of us. It was also cooler in there which was an advantage!
Becky and I had the mixed grill - good choice, the kids all had a parma again, J had the crumbed cutlets, and Alex and Prue the barramundi. Once again a good night.
Unfortunately, by the time we wandered back it was cloudy/no stars - so no chance to use Justin's telescope. Well there's always next time. Backy and Elise went home, and Alex & co went back to the motel where they're staying. Kids went to bed, strangely they elected to sleep in the dining room on the sofa bed with sleeping bags, rather than sleeping on Fraser's bed in the front room. Mad said they wanted a room with an electric light - fair enough I suppose. After all, I've moved the commode into our front room (just in case...)
J and I stayed up a bit longer in the kitchen, read the paper etc - as it wasn't very late. The new bed was fantastic - king-size big and enormously comfortable. The only detractor was the mosquito problem.... last time we were here J had sprayed our room before going to bed, but as the mozzies didn't seem so bad today, we didn't spray. Big Mistake!! Kept swatting at our heads vainly trying to get rid of them. So unfortunately not a brilliant night's sleep.
Woke up relatively early (as usual) and had noticed that the town hall clock chimes weren't working - missed them! It was also just lovely lying in bed and looking out at the town hall clock tower, looked very exotic. Felt I was somewhere other than country Victoria. Went across to the IGA and bought the newspaper - shocking news about Japan and the nuclear reactors, and then went for a walk. Started off down Storm Lane, saw some rabbits, then through scrubby bush, had to watch out for spider webs stretching across the track (big country spiders!) only walked into one once. Kept an eye out for loose nuggets of gold - no such luck, but did find other treasures ie broken bits of blue and white crockery which I picked up and kept (who knows what if anything I'm going to do with them) Also found a small spent bullet that I though Fraser might be interested in given that he has such an interest in militia. Thought I'd walk for an hour, but it was more like an hour & a 1/2 Passed lot of what appeared to be gold diggings also. Saw our neighbours Grant and Francine on the way back - so stopped for a quick chat. They told me that they'd seen various tradespeople tramping through including some who'd been waylaid by a 5 foot snake in our back yard. Luckily we had told the kids before hand to be very careful and not to lift up bits of wood/metal etc or to go walking through any long grass. We didn't see any snakes at all.
Justin was up on the veranda when I saw Grant and Francine - so I called him down to introduce them all. also showed him my treasures. He was shocked when he saw the bullet, contrary to what I thought it was actaully still live and possibly unstable....and yes I still have all to fingers. He quickly removed it, rather than gave it to Fraser, well i guess I won't be picking up anymor bullets.
But, it's time to close now - even though I have heaps more to write. I'm tired - was up late working last night (yes, yes, the violins are playing) So more of this over the weekend.
So back home for some breakfast, surprisingly not our Inglewood standard of bacon and eggs, but rather some cereal and a cup of coffee. I also made the kids and Justin a fried cheese sandwich on the bbq - not that successful...I assume it tasted alright though.
Alex, Prue and April arrived mid morning. J & A set to work in the hallway, brushing down the walls, removing any flaking bits and then starting with a skim coat.
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| Alex hard at work |
Becky dropped Elise off and the kids all disappeared off togther for a play - they or perhaps Fraser and Madeleine are driving us a bit crazy with Justin's organ. Fraser has decided to play "the Final Countdown" an old 80s song - revived in Arrestsed Development. He hasn't quite got it, and it's becoming too repetitive an therefore a bit annoying. April on the other hand can play and read music .
Prue asked what she could do to help, and I suggested starting in the front garden. She had brought her clippers and secateurs etc - so set off with gusto.
I thought that I would clean some windows -so started in the kitchen. Thought I'd do it the old fashioned way with newspaper - so put some Handy Andy in the bucket with some water and started. Worked a treat, did both windows inside and out, although I was a bit nervous with the one next to the sink, as a brick lintel? above the window was a bit loose, and the outside bricks could possibly fall out - and I didn't fancy being clocked on the head.
Next room was the kids room. Now these windows had those light terylene curtains - which were full of reddish dust. It was a bit useless trying to clean the windows if you lightly touched the curtain, and then more dust would fly. So I took the curtains down and went and shook them on the road. It was a bit like Priscilla Queen of the Dessert - as the curtain was like a long bridal train being caught by the wind as I shook it out. An incredible amount of dust blew out, Grant, our neighbour saw me and said there was a cloud of red - that would have made a great photo! Well I guess there are plenty more curtains to shake..
So back to cleaning the windows - lots of spider webs, dead bees/flys and of course the dust. Felt filthy afterwards
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| me cleaning the windows |
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| And brushing them down |
I also cleaned the huge mirrors - as they were dusty and someone had written "boo ghost" etc
Needed a break from all that dust so wandered around the garden and took some photos
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| back of house |
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| lean too and back of kitchen |
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| "laundry" possible new pizza oven kitchen |
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| Grand & Francine's place with the palms to the left |
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| Mad with town hall in back ground |
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mulberry tree - kitchen in the background
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Meanwhile, I'd suggested to the kids that they use Fraser's metal detector and see if they could find any treasure in the garden (poisonous snakes and bullets not included) Also gave them a small camping spade
Well, they found some old (and not so old) broken crockery, old (plastic) toys, a car seat belt, and various other odds and sods -all up a very successful haul
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| treasures under the cypress.. |
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| no papparazzi please |
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treasures on the west lawn...
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| a proud haul |
And that's enough for tonight, more tomorrow...
Prue made us all a lovely lunch - sandwich wraps, poached chicken, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes etc - construct your own wrap.
The kids had been haranguing us to go to Melvilles caves - so we agreed to do so after lunch. I took Mad & Elise, Prue took April & Fraser. We weren't exactly sure of the way to go, but found it anyway. Looked a bit like the Grampians - large boulders scrubby trees, good views. It was called Melvilles caves because a busheranger called Melville had hidden out there.
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| Kids at Melvilles Caves |
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| Prue walking towards the caves |
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| The "caves" |
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| "art" shot |
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| Fraser and an interesting stick insect |
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| Mad conquering a rock |
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view from the top (where is Inglewood)
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So, looked around and stayed a while, and on the way back stopped at the Arbotoruem (tree reserve) maybe 1 km from our place. Fraser had his metal detetcor and I suggested that they might like to look for gold there. Kids thought it a great idea (except Mad who elected to stay in the car and nap. The rest of us tramped around looking for gold. Elise found large white bits of white quartz and tried to smash them - to find gold within. Unfortunately no such luck thus far. Drove back to the house - leaving Fraser and Elsie behind as they were still keen to make their fortune. They eventually wandered back. (empty handed)
Alex, Prue & April went back to the motel to shower and change - and then came back for J & I - after all of that window cleaning I felt and probably was filthy, so an offered shower in their motel room was much appreciated.
Came back nice and refreshed and made some dinner on the BBQ. I'd bought some marinated chicken pieces, and we made up some mashed potato and salad. All up very nice, and our first dinner in the house. Once again, another momentous occasion.
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| more candles and champagne of course.... |
After dinner, we went and sat on the veranda, took up candles, and it was lovely. there was an electrical storm in the distance, could see the lightening beyond the town hall. It was quiet, apart from our chatter and laughter (not too loud) and also quite balmy. Unfortunately it was cloudy, otherwise we would have looked at the stars through Justin's telescope.
Had a relatively early night, and we sprayed for mozzies - and this time had no problems.
Wore my overalls and boots today (Monday) - ready for serious work. Becky dropped Elise off the next morning - and the 3 kids were keen to go yabbying - so I took the 3 of them on a reconnaisance tour of another dam which Francine had told me about. Not sure if we went to the right place - as I semed as though we walked along someone's drive to get there?? And once again lots of spider's webs. Had a look around, and then back to the house. Alex, Prue and April showed up around then - and were concerned that we'd already been yabbying, reasured them that we were only looking at options.
So, the kids decided on the closer dam/lake and we usd the chicken bones form the night before tied on bits of old string that I found in one of the kitchen drawers. Drove the kids down to the lake and stayed with them for a little while. - then left them to it and back to the house for some more work
We also had another visitor - a French polisher who advised how he could fix up the doors, and staircase etc
Given that Karen, Mark and Zoe were coming for lunch, we wnated the dining room to be as nice as possible. I did the best job I could with the 2 windows and dusty curtains, and also moved the boxed up washing machine and oven into the "back bit behind the stairs. We also made up the sofa bed and put it against the wall. Lastly, we set up the trestle tables and put a cream painting drop sheet as a table cloth. I was sure I'd brought up some "proper" calico table cloths, but I couldn't find them anywhere. No matter, the drop sheet looked quite fine
Set the table and Prue picked some flowers and put them in a vase
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| setting the table |
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| before the masses |
Gordon came by late morning with his mate Ken - who will fix the broken windows etc, and Karen, Mark & Zoe arrived soon afterwards - and we gave them the obligatory tour inside and out. I then went down to the supermarket to buy the luncheon supplies. Bumped into Grant and he recommended the pork fillets (they were delicious) and I also bought some steak and sausages - all very good. Bumped into Grant again at the checkout and he introduced me to John - the manager and Tayla - one of the girls working there.
Back to the house, and Justin cooked up the meat on the bbq with Mark providing moral support.
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| BBQ king |
Karen had brought up a salad, bread, chocolate and fruit - so we had a feast
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| Our 1st lunch party... |
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| Mark having a laugh |
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| I didn't have time to change... |
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| kid's end of the table |
During the afternoon, we heard the dulcet tones of Greensleeves so the kids bolted, after first extracting icecream money from us. Mad and Zoe were successful and bought themslves an icrecream, Fraser, Elise and April were a little behind. Mad told the driver that the others wanted to buy an icecream also, but for whatever reason, the driver drove off - with Fraser madly running after him - to no avail. Three very disappointed kids. We tried placating them by advising them to walk down to the IGA and to buy a really nice icecream from there - which they did. Of course the icecream van then drove past them when they were exiting the IGA. Thye hoped the driver saw them and rued his lost sales......
So, a very enjoyable long lunch, a slight logistical problem as I didn't have enough plates (we'd used up more for serving platters that I hadn't counted on). But it didn't matter, we weren't standing on formality. Everyone enjoyed themselves. I guess we finished up around 5 or so, did a quick tidy up, and back home again.
