Nimmitabel: A Work in Progress: Kingower Christmas and Mum's birthday 20 &21 December 2014

A relatively full house this weekend. :- Justin, myself & our kids, Mum, Helen & her kids, and Karen & Mark.

Reason being, it was the annual Kingower Christmas party on the Village Green. Mum and Helen had come last year and had a ball, and it was also Mum's birthday on the Saturday, so another reason to invite her.

Anyway, we arrived around lunch time. Helen and Mum had arrived a little earlier, and Mark and Karen came after lunch.

Mark and I thought we'd be able to move the war tanks as a project this weekend. They look ugly so close to the house, we thought they would be better up in the far back corner of the garden. So it was my job to go and see if we could borrow/rent a forklift - either from the supermarket, or else from David - Karen came with me for moral support. Didn't see Peter at the supermarket, so we went around to David's. He thought a forklift wouldn't be appropriate. Suggested a tractor with forks instead. We asked if we could possibly rent it, but he declined, saying it wasn't available for rental, but said it would be available to help neighbours. So this was all very good.

Helen, Mum and kids to the pool, around 2.30, and Karen and I joined them later. As usual there weren't many people there, so almost had the pool to ourselves. I swam around a bit. Michaela joined me briefly in the big pool, whilst Xavier splashed around in the children's pool. Helen, Karen and Mum stayed dry, and Justin joined us a bit later.

Michaela warming herself

Michaela and I

Helen keeping a watch out

hello there

look at us

nice and cool

Thinking about jumping in

and she's done it

3 wise monkeys

3 wise monkeys and log

Got back to the house after the pool, and found that Mark had unattached the overflow pipes and the drainpipes from both tanks. This made Justin nervous, as he said the tanks would have to be moved and plumbed in immediately - just in case it rained as we wouldn't want 100s of litres of water cascading down the drain pipes and beside the house/into the cellar etc. We rushed back to David. before his shop closed, and asked if he could possibly come over tomorrow. At this stage I was still gung ho, and thought we could do it all on the Sunday....

Watered the garden a bit, had a shower, and then went up to Kingower around 6.30.

Was a lovely night (as usual), I was wearing a dress which is unusual for me, but brought tracksuit pants and a jumper etc in case it got cold at night. Luckily it didn't, The usual crowd was there :- Terry, David, Arlene, June, Alvin, Damien, Nicole, Mark, Chrissy, Jill, Daniel, Maile, David, Jan, Jeff etc etc. There were about 45 of us all up with everyone bringing either some nibbles, a salad or dessert. Burgers and sausages were provided @ a reasonable $5 a head.

pre dinner drinks and nibbles

Mark and Madeleine on the left

Madeleine centre, Mum behind, Mark, Fraser & Karen to the right

Justin. Mark, Mad, Karen etc #1

Justin. Mark, Mad, Karen etc #2

twilight

Fraser walking with purpose

Karen with Fraser photo bombing

Michaela looking happy

serve yourself dinner

Jeff having a chat

Madeleine looking doleful

nice looking desserts

Terry and me

Justin had also brought his guitar on spec, and had it in the boot of the car. He pulled it out and joined the band for a few songs. I also got them to sing Happy birthday to Mum

the band, and me in the background

the band and Xavier with arms crossed

huge goat moth #1

huge goat moth #2

Finished up around 12 or so, and drove slowly home, luckily didn't encounter any kangaroos.

Unfortunately woke up early, so got up and watered the garden. And then went back to bed again around 8.30 to see if I could fall asleep again. Might have catnapped.

Had a late breakfast with the others under the hoop pine, and David came over around 11 or so. By this stage I had backtracked, as I hadn't actually figured out how we would plumb the moved tanks, and the thought of digging trenches by hand in that concrete hard earth was daunting. Mark and I had been talking about getting an electric/petrol? trench digger - but we obviously didn't have one today. So we thanked David very nicely, showed him the tanks and explained that we weren't really prepared, and that we may call on him again once we were ready. By the way, Justin just wants to pay someone to do it properly, and wasn't that keen on Mark and I doing it. David didn't mind, and stayed and had a nice long chat with Mum. In the meantime, Mark and Justin re-attached the overflow pipes and drain pipes.

As breakfast had been rather nice under the hoop pine, we had lunch there too, but moved the table a bit so that it was in the shade.

picnic lunch #1

picnic lunch #2

picnic lunch #3

picnic lunch #4

picnic lunch #5

picnic lunch #6

Justin & Mark also put the new old door knob on the front door which I had been given a while ago by a chap from Castlemaine, who had come through on my "National Trust tour"