Helen and the kids again 7-9th April 2017

I had planned to go up on early Friday morning, as it's my day off.  However, I just had an hour or 2 of work to complete for an important meeting on Monday, one hour turned into two, two into four, and I didn't end up leaving till just before 4pm.(but at least it was done)

Given the time, I unfortunately struck traffic going into the City, and then a bit more on the Bolte Bridge... oh well.  Arrived at Inglewood around 6.30pm, and Mum and Helen had dinner waiting for me - a garlic pasta dish.  I had wanted to relax with a G&T on the veranda, but it was getting dark by the time I arrived, so not that conducive.

Dinner was good, kids not too raucous, and we had a game of scrabble after dinner (Mum's favourite)

Early-ish night, and a little bit of a lie in, read the Age on line in bed.  I must say that Helen kept Xavier pretty quiet in the morning.  Normally he can't be muffled....

Got up around 8.30 - nice, and had breakfast outside, was cool, but lovely in the sun.  I was currently Xavier's favourite person, and he always wanted to sit next to me, do what I was doing etc.

After breakfast, we all trooped up to the Op Shop to say hello to the ladies, (i bought a book about ex- pats in Tuscany) then to the butcher to buy some pork for dinner, and then onto the IGA to get some further supplies, including some yabby bait.

Yep, I was determined to do a bit more yabby hunting.  

We set off full of high hopes, up to Webbs Dam in Kingower.  Took a couple of chairs and some reading material also

   





Helen and the kids went for a walk around the dam, and skimmed stones etc, while I waited patinetly for our monster haul.




Used some raw chicken wings for bait.  Left the the nets in there for an hour, and pulled them out with great excitement....



Unfortunately - nothing....

So we packed up, but left the nets there, and went back to the house for lunch, where we had some sandwiches under the tree, and then another game of scrabble

After having left them there for a few hours, we  ventured back to Webb's Dam to check the nets.

And.... joy, there were two large yabbies in the 2nd net.  Two yabbies does not a meal make, nor even a snack really, so we threw them back to live another day





By this stage, it was a bit wet and rainy, but we were thrilled by our catch

Anyway, back to the house, as I'd also asked Terry over for dinner (and was planning a nice one for us all)

I made a couple of dips for starters, and had some cheeses to go with them.  Then the pork, various roast vegies, and salads,

Harvested my first ever pomegranate to be used in a pomegranate, cucumber and fetta salad.
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And, as my crowning glory - schwetchen knodels (plum dumplings, except the IGA had no plums, so I used nectarines.

I wanted it to be a surprise for Mum, so just found a recipe on the internet, and didn't tell her what I was making.  She normally makes a couple of batches over the Summer, but hadn't made one this Summer, and they were always such a treat for Helen and I growing up  - Austrian delicacy.

Terry arrived pretty much bang on time at 5.30, and by this stage the weather had improved again, and was still relatively warm, so we had the starters on the veranda (might be the last time for this season)

Xavier was being a bit rambunctious at this stage, but nothing was spilled or broken, so it was OK.

Down to the dining room for dinner, and it was all delicious (if I do say so myself)



Mum was delighted by the knodels (dumplings), and declared it the best surprise ever
(she may have been exaggerating a little)



Sunday, and I actually slept in til 9am.  Granted I was woken around 5am by the insistent thunder and lightening - as it had been going most of the night....quite a bit of rain too (and the roof leaked ...will have to get our roof man back again)

I fell asleep again, but woke again around 7am, and read for a bit, fell asleep again, and then got up at 9am - everyone had been keeping very quiet.  I was very impressed,

Given the rain, and that it was cold, we, or rather I had breakfast inside.  The others had all eaten earlier.

I'd told Terry last night about our yabby venture, and he had invited us to come and try our luck at his dam.  I had also angled for some more basil to make more pesto, which he was glad to give to me,so we went up there around 10 or so.

He put some yabby nets in also - but used some beef for bait
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So let the nets do their thing, and went back inside Terry's place for a nice hot coffee and a chat.  Also harvested some lovely red and golden delicious apples.





And then back to the nets.  Xavier was very excited, and pulled our two out first.  Nothing!!

Terry then pulled his first net out, and he had about 4 little ones, and then he pulled out his second, and he had about 10 little ones...(not fair as Xavier might say).  Some of them were so little that they were able to escape through the holes in the net.  Definitely not big enough to keep, but good to let grow for next year's catching...Anyway, we were still excited, and considered it a "group" success.



Back to Terry's house and Xavier declared himself "starving" so we went back to our house and had some hot pies.  Just right for a cold day.

But that said, we weren't finished with our yabby hunting. This time off to the Inglewood reservoir,.  where we left the nets a while in order to catch as many as possible.  But unfortunately once again - nothing!

Back to the house, and another game of scrabble, and then I packed up and left, leaving Mum, Helen and the kids as its School holidays.  But we'll be back at Easter.