2nd trip - "kidless"

Two weeks after our 1st visit as owners, we prepared to go again.  However, the kids didn't want to come this time, Mad had yet another party (actually the original one that was supposed to be 2 weeks ago) and Fraser was supposed to "work" at the Ashburton Fair.  There were also hockey try outs/open day at the TEMs club.

Tems photo from web

High Street, Ashburton from the web

Justin and I wanted to go, but I guess didn't want to drag the kids kicking and screaming, and make them potentially resentful about coming up in the future also...

Opportunity knocked, or rather rang with Vern - Amy's Dad calling and asking if Mad wanted to stay the weekend with them - and they could take Mad to TEMs also - as Amy wants to play hockey ( I think that's why Mad does actually!) So that was one down, but if we couldn't "place" Fraser the deal was off...Luckily Cheryl & Andrew were accommodating so Fraser got to spend the weekend with Seb, and Justin and I set off to Nimmatibel by ourselves.

Unfortunately still left rather late - and got down here around 3pm - taking the (good) pictures and the commode.  But we did stop off in Bridgewater to go to Waterwheel and bought a dozen shiraz to put in the cellar

photo from the web 

We were rather surprised when we entered the kitchen and found the backdoor wide open (screen door closed luckily).  Several tradesmen had been there (or said they were going to be there over the 2 weeks) Everything was still there (not that there was much to take - Becky had told us that there does not seem to be much crime in Inglewood)

Unpacked and looked around, and then went up to the IGA/Mitre 10  to get some hardware supplies.

photo from the web

 I then continued walking around the town, looking at the antique/2nd hand stores.  There was one with a little book about Inglewood, unfortunately I didn't have any money with me, I'll have to buy it next time.  I also saw that there were quite a few historic buildings like ours with blue information plaques.  Which reminds me -I had been in contact with one of the members of the Inglewood Historic Society asking him if he had any information about our house.  Unfortunately we kept missing each other and left voicemails, the last being that he did have some information and for me to email him.  I did and haven't heard anything since - I'll try again in a week or 2.

Wandered back to the house, and Justin  was emptying out the last of the cellar water.  We assumed that Frank had come by during the week and pumped out as much as he could.  There was still about 10cm left which Justin was bailing out with an old pot.  Not surprisngly it stank!  when he finished, he went and said hello to Becky, I stayed and weeded - but felt that I was being eaten by ravenous mosquitoes - so retired upstairs to the veranda to read the Saturday Age - very relaxing!

Justin came back and said that we would meet Becky & Elise at the other pub (Empire)for dinner at 6.30

Empire pub - photo from the web

It was surprisingly full, and Elise predicted that it would take 3 hours for us to get our meal.  well, it wasn't 3 hours, but it was more than 1.  We also saw the lady from Waterwheel - and nodded hello - once again small world.  And we had bumped into our neighbour David (I introduced him to Justin) on our walk to the pub

The 4 of us went for  a little walk after dinner - very dark , was overcast, no stars.

Justin and I slept in Fraser's bed (bigger/ more comfortable than the sofa bed) - and slept better than the 1st night 2 weeks ago.  I also forgot to mention that Inglewood is very civilised with the chiming of the town hall clock bells.  It chimes on the 1/4 hour, but stops over night (not sure exactly what time) and started up again after 8am on the Sunday - perfect!  Here in Glen Iris - the bells ring on the hour every hour.

The bells may not have woken us up, but the rain did, or rather a constant dripping noise from somewhere upstairs.  Justin pulled the wheelie bin upstairs and positioned it under the leak. and then came back to bed

Got up after a while and went to see how much water had fallen, unfortunately the bin had a crack and all of  the water was in a pool on the floor

Had bacon and eggs for breakfast - very nice.  Maybe that will become our Sunday breakfast tradition up here.

After breakfast Justin sanded the front door, and also stripped some of the paint off - slow job. 

paint stripper applied

the scraping begins

more scraping, and you can see one of the Joel's paintings

behind Justin

I got rid of some of the ivy on the mulberry tree out the back.  The ivy is like another tree with thick branches as wide as my arm in places!

Poor mulberrry tree

 Gordon dropped by to say hello, we saw that he had cut back some of the ivy also and had also uncovered a small fruiting peach tree. Plans to cut more back and also to pull out some thorny bushes - good!

Organised a bit inside, and then we went on a bike ride around town, had done enough "work"  Was very pleasant just riding around, and by this stage it had become quite warm and sunny.  No traffic to speak of - so quite safe.  Went up towards the bush (down Verdon Street), then back to town and to the court house, the hospital and the lake/reservoir?.  There was a van parked at the lake, and a large dog rushed out at me - gave me a fright - didn't bite me though.  Lake looks a fair size  (is still flooded though as you can see fences, picnic table half under water etc)   We might bring my little boat up for a sail - at least no currents

Going for a row on Barwon River at Ocean Grove 

(strong currents when the tide is turning)

Frank saw us on the way back to the house and we had a little chat.  Yes he had been to pump out the cellar, but couldn't get the last bit, also told us that people who go out prospecting around there usually come back with something  (but they have expensive metal detectors) - we're expecting big things from Fraser with his detector He also said that with the rain - the gold could be more on the surface in the gullies - you never know... And then he got talking about yabbies - another fun thing for the kids to do.  Justin and his siblings used to do it when they were young.

yabbie - photo from the web

So, back to the house, a quick pack up, and back to Melbourne to pick up the kids as Cheryl had asked if we could get Fraser by 4.30. Made it in plenty of time, and had a very pleasant weekend.  I was glad that it wasn't all work and that I had wandered around town and that we'd had our bike ride.

Once again, I'm looking forward to out next visit