Day trip and visitors 19 September 2013

Early start at 7am, so there wasn't too much traffic on the Monash.  By the time I got to the Calder you wouldn't have known that it was the beginnings of peak "hour" I think that traffic term needs to be updated, as the "hour" has been well and truly extended.

Anyway, got to Inglewood just after 9am, and pottered around the house and garden.  Was keen to see what the electrician had been able to do.  Yes, he fixed back the light shade which Fraser had knocked off with a basketball a couple of weeks ago ( we were very cross about this)

re-fitted light fitting

And he also managed to connect the crappy brass light fitting in the downstairs green bedroom - which had not previously had any electric light.  So that is a definite plus for any new guests.

let there be light - in the green room

But, as Meatloaf said 2 out of 3 ain't bad, as the electrician was not able to install the new front hall light fitting, we'll just have to wait for the big re-wiring job.

Upstairs, and when I opened the door to the big room I got a whiff of honey and heard the bees at the same time.  Yes they're back unfortunately.  Hundreds buzzing around the big bay window, and more hundreds dead on the floor and on the window sill.  Not sure if they died because of residual poison, or because of lack of food etc

bees buzzing around the window 

dead on the floor

dead on the window sill

Once I had escaped the bees I had a wander around the garden which was looking good, although one of the pears looks a bit iffy, there is spur growth below the graft but the buds on the main trunk/branches don't look alive.  We'll have to wait and see.

I'm also still curious to know what these 2 flowers are.  One is white with multiple flowers on a single stem like an agapanthus.  Somebody said might be related to the onion flower, although it doesn't smell, and the other is pale orange, and presents a bit like gladioli, with multiple flowers on a perpendicular stem but much smaller flowers

mystery white flowers

 

mystery apricot flowers

I also noticed that part of the front fence had come away.  Luckily it wasn't in imminent danger of falling down, but it must be fixed ASAP otherwise the whole thing may well come down

broken front fence looking out 

broken front fence looking in 

I then went and had a visit with Denise, the last few times I haven't been able to chat for long, but this time we had a good long chat, until Liz called saying that she and her friends were at the house, and was I around?  So I rushed back home to see Liz and met her 3 friends :- Sue, Brenda and Helen.  They had all been teachers together years ago, and had also shared  a big trip to the UK in the 70s.

I knew Liz from my time at I-View, working in market research and had told her about the house and Inglewood during dinner catchups with our other ex colleague Terry.

Anyway, I gave them the grand tour both inside and out.  They could luckily appreciate the good bones of this house, and see past the cracks and  lack of mod cons.

"lady" of the manor

"lady" of the manor #2

Brenda was particularly interested in the house as she makes the most beautiful looking doll houses.  Maybe one  day when we're flush again, we could commission her to do one of Nimmitabel

Brenda - doll house #1 

Brenda doll house - internal

Brenda doll house - living room - Amazing!!

Victorian San Fran? house by Brenda

After the "tour" was completed we had some morning tea - Liz had kindly brought an apple teacake which we managed to polish off quite convincingly

from left :-Brenda, Sue Liz and Helen

And then we had a tour around town which was rather pleasant.

Treasure map of Inglewood

They left after 12, and I considered putting my overalls on and getting stuck into some weeding, but decided against it. I was going out for dinner to a friend's place outside Ballarat, and I needed to be in Ballarat by 4.  So I took it easy, sat on the front doorstep, had a sandwich for lunch and read the paper until it was time to leave.  Very enjoyable, and somewhat deliciously indolent, I am  normally "doing" something while I'm here.  As planned, I left at 2pm - allowing 2 hours to get to Ballarat.  Luckily Justin had told me that I should take the turnoff  from Bridgewater and go through Dunolly and Maryborough.  My mobile phone gps wasn't working at the start, but it did eventually and I didn't get lost.  Saw some lovely golden canola fields, and stopped to take some photos.  Had a lightning stop in Dunolly at Wright on Broadway, as Jill Mc had suggested I stop and say hello to Fiona the proprietor.  Not only was she not there, but they were closed, despite the fact that the door was open and the lights on.  Other staff were in there though - I didn't just walk into an empty shop!

canola field #1

canola field #2