Nimmitabel: A Work in Progress: A superb dinner : 7 & 8 February 2015

Just Justin and myself this weekend. We arrived and had a late lunch, and then even had a "nanna nap" as we'd had a late night the night before at a wedding

We took the ute, as Alex had given us a bedside table (forgot to take a photo) which we brought with us

Saw that there was yet another leak from the water pipe on Storm Lane (I rang up Coliban Water and advised them). Steve said that the garbage truck had broken it - who knows

water leak on Storm Lane #1

water leak on Storm Lane #2

The weather was nice and warm, and the garden was dry again, still had remnants of green, but we had to water the plants.

I did this foolishly wearing thongs. Normally I wear closed shoes, as it's very dusty and I don't like gritty feet, but I thought I could just hose down my feet/stick my feet in the bucket if they were too dirty.

It was only the next day that I realised what a prickle mine field the back garden has become

bindi eyed thongs

As you can see my thongs are covered in prickles, not just wussy city prickles, but big country bindy eyes which have prickles in at least 3 different directions, and are like drawing pins

a bindi eye that I prised out of my thong

Anyway, apart from the gardening, we took it fairly easy on the Saturday. Denise and Steven came for a visit, and afterwards, we read the paper, and had a refreshing G & T before going out to dinner.

Saw a review about Graeme's book about his life at Passing Clouds

positive book review

We had a truly superb dinner at Terry's. He had invited us, and David & Arlene, and Chrissie & Mark around to discuss the format of the upcoming Music night in March. I didn't take any photos (as I thought that might have been a bit gauche), Started off with some lovely ripe cheeses, and then for entree Terry had made a terrific terrine :- ground up beef and pork with duck pieces, Ann & Phil's pistachios and wrapped in bacon. This looked like a lot of work to me. And it was delicious. For main we had beef with a savoury butter that Terry said had 25 ingredients (I think/hope he must have been joking about that one), duchess potatoes, ricotta wrapped zucchini cigars and I think a type of ratatouille, and home made herb bread rolls. Once again delicious. Dessert was creme caramel with blackberry sauce, and then more cheeses! It was very impressive, and I told him so, as I could imagine how many hours of preparation were involved.

The company and conversation was also good, not sure if we got to the bottom of how the music night will actually go, but I'm sure it will work out. Justin also told them how I still haven't really caught any yabbies (well just that one with Karen) and how disappointed my little face is each time I come back empty handed. David said that next time I go out, to come and see him, and hopefully we'll have better luck then.

There was also a bit of a surprise downpour, the clouds had looked a bit stormy, but no one really thought that it would actually rain. We must have got a bit, as there were puddles

I guess we finished around midnight or so, and I drove rather slowly home. Justin perhaps thought I could have driven faster, but we weren't in a hurry, and I got a bit of a fright when I saw a large kangaroo bounding along next to us on the side of the road. Luckily it went off into the bush, rather than onto the road and into us.

Sunday, and a slow start, we didn't really feel like doing any work today either, as Justin wanted to get back to Melbourne reasonably early. Had a leisurely breakfast outside in the garden

leisurely breakfast

And Justin had a bit of a solo jam - trying out some new songs for the next Kingower music night

Solo jam

Because we had a nice big breakfast, we weren't too bothered about lunch, and so didn't really have any, and left early afternoon. Stopped for a quick walk along the river bank at Bridgewater, as Justin hasn't been along there before.

not really thinking of diving in #1

Given that it was good and hot there were quite a few people swimming and sunning themselves on the decking. I'd certainly like to have a go at swimming there

On the way home, the clouds over Mt Macedon looked rather strange as they were very solid looking and of a uniform height behind the mountain. From a distance I wasn't sure if they were smoke or clouds. Unfortunately the photos from my mobile taken in a moving car don't really do them justice