New Trellis February 16 - 18 2018

Busy and modestly productive weekend

Drove to Ocean Grove first with a table that Jan and Peter wanted taken there.  Got there around 3.45, unloaded with Justin's help, and then went to the beach for a quick swim/boogie board. Although not hot, the afternoon had become lovely and sunny. Waves weren't that good, so was back well before 5pm

Then we had to load a nice Victorian desk that was surplus to Ocean Grove requirements onto the ute, along with the large ebay rug that we had unloaded in order for me to take the ute to the beach.

Set off for Inglewood, around 5pm.  Googlemaps advised that it would take just under 3 hours, which was reasonably significant given that I had already driven for more than 1.5 hours to get to Ocean Grove.

We had initially planned to eat dinner at the pub, before we saw that it was a 3 hour drive, and given that the pub kitchen closes at 8pm, we probably wouldn't make it in time.  So I suggested that we stop somewhere along the way.  Justin thought Daylesford.

The evening drive was lovely, big skies, golden light, and well behaved kangaroos who stayed in the paddocks.  Justin drove his work car, and I followed in the ute.

We did stop in Daylesford, for dinner - can't remember the name of the place

Very nice with a shady back courtyard covered with grapevines.  We didn't want a long dinner, so had a fancy burger each - very nice

Then back in the cars, and onto Inglewood.  Was dark by the time we arrived, and luckily still no kangaroos, although a kamikaze rabbit ran out in front of Justin's car.

Had to unload the ute when we got there - desk and rug, and then I went to bed and watched an episode of Stranger Things on my ipad, while Justin watched something else.

Had a little bit of a sleep in which was nice, and Justin brought me breakfast in bed, which was even nicer... Christened the breakfast tray that he'd given me for Christmas

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He then decided to go into Bendigo to get some trellis for the back deck, as the IGA didn't have any.

I watered the garden and found that the pink lady apple tree had put forth a tentative green bud (can just make it out in the below photo)

 

Karen, Mark & Moby arrived around 1.30, and Justin a bit after that - which meant a late lunch on our back deck

Given that it was hot,  Karen and I went to the pool, while Justin and Mark put up the trellis

We admired it on our return - they did a good job.  Now we just need to grow some grape vines on it

Other things happened while we were at the pool.  I'd called up Anne L earlier to see if she still wanted the trampoline for her grandkids - she did - so came and picked it up, and Maile and David also dropped in.

After the pool, we had some drinks and cheese/biscuits on the back deck - I stayed in my pool attire

After this I put together my new favourite hot weather dinner, poached (microwaved) chicken breast, spinach, cucumber, fetta, potato etc all piled together in a glorious heap

We ate this rather late in the dining room

And then onto the veranda to admire the stars, take in a cooling breeze

Sleep in the next morning, and some more watering of the garden

After breakfast some more chores ie I wanted to put the oven back into the kitchen - so moved it and the base out of the shed

Also wanted to move Alex's kitchen cabinet out of the shed, so we offered it to Steve and Denise.  Steve brought his ute over to pick it up.  Was pretty heavy....luckily there were 4 of us to move it - me, Justin Mark & Steve

And then wanted to remove the old dining room lino from the shed - and cut out some "good" bits to keep.  The rest will go out with the hard rubbish collection in a couple of weeks

We also moved the old Ilve oven out of the shed - and put it by the back gate also in preparation for the hard rubbish collection in a couple of weeks.

At least now the little shed will be usable again.

I started cleaning out the newly revealed cupboard next to the fridge, and found some 1889 newspapers under the lino - the Argus

I also tidied up the cellar a bit, got rid of empty boxes etc, and found a dried out frog in there. 

Wonder if it had come in as a tadpole?? It was long dead - sounded hollow...

Justin attached the hand towel rail in the new bathroom

We hauled the upstairs big carpet downstairs to the dining room, and lugged the new bigger carpet upstairs to the big room.  These carpets are also pretty heavy.

Had to vacuum it, - was pretty dusty, and we then realised that Ben's blokes had killed our vacuum cleaner -so we had to buy a new one - Justin went and got it from the IGA

Luckily Justin's back held up ok - as there was lots of lifting this weekend

Moby enjoyed himself

Justin took some more nice photos of the house

Alex again 3 & 4th February 2018

Alex hadn't been up to Inglewood for ages - since well before Christmas last year, so we invited him up to see all of our progress

Justin and I left Melbourne around 9.30am, after having seen a local tradesman who came to give us a quote for our back courtyard.  Doing all of these improvements in Inglewood, Melbourne takes a second place at times (which isn't really fair).

Once there, I was thrilled to see that the asparagus had resurrected - both the little seeds from Maile (one plant), and the mature plants that I thought had died.  They have sent up 2 teeny tiny little spears, and another couple of ferns

Alex joined us for a late lunch, we pulled one of our salamis out of the cellar to have in a sandwich. Was very good, although we probably don't want them to cure any more, as it was pretty hard.

I had a quick nap after lunch - as I'd stupidly/for no good reason woken up around 3.30 this morning.  During my nap Alex and Justin moved the BBQ onto the back deck, and also sorted out the TV etc cabling upstairs.

After my nap I went out and did a bit of weeding/tidying up in the garden.

Left for Kingower around 6, as it was the 1st Saturday of the month.  We were surprised that we were the 1st there, and remained by ourselves for a good 20 minutes or so.

Terry was the next to join us, and then Maile and David, and the others came soon afterwards.  There had been a cricket match on - so some of them didn't come til after 7pm

Arlene and David's dog Sasha had had an accident, getting a small part of her tail cut off , she seemed in good spirits though.

We left around 7.30, as we had to make sure that we got to the pub before the kitchen closed at 8pm.  Maile and David were going there too, had made plans to eat with some other friends, and they invited us to join them.

We did so, and were pleasantly surprised that we were served so quickly.  There's a "new' new chef now - Scott. Both J & A had the Outback parma - and thought it exceptionally good.

Was a lovely night sky on the walk back to the house

Sat up on the veranda after dinner - very pleasant

More watering on Sunday morning, and also trimmed some of the fruit trees, and put mulch down around where I had watered.

Also kept the rosehips that I'd pruned - thought I'd make some jam (did so, but didn't really work, everywhere that I'd read said to get rid of the seeds and fine hairs inside the hips, but these were tiny, and too fiddly to do so, I did a few, but it was too time consuming, so I just chucked them in the bread machine with the sugar and lemon juice and hoped for the best.  Actually, hoping wasn't enough, in the past when I've made jam in the bread machine it's chopped up the plums etc - however these hips just stayed whole.  Tried one, and they were right, it was pretty much inedible ie very hard seeds, and sharp internal hairs (bit like artichoke hairs at the choke)  Will have to chuck out - oh well!

Justin and Alex sprayed poison around to try and kill as many weeds as possible (they don't believe in weeding)

They also moved the fridge a smidge so that we could open the door to the other large cupboard, and use it given that we haven't reinstated Alex's large cabinet that used to be in the kitchen.  I'll organise that the next time we come up

And they bought some dowel, and put up the William Morris tapestry that Justin had bought a while back

So all up, got a few more things done - hoorah

Australia Day week Jan 19 - 26 2018

HOT, HOT, HOT

The day I arrived was 44 degrees, and there were no days under 35 degrees - and the Australia Day weekend was shaping up to be very hot (gave Karen & Mark an out because of the heat, and they took it, so did Justin)

What there was of the grass was crunchy, there were many bald patches, as the weeds had browned off also.  The good thing was that I only found one more bindi eye.  Xavier also found a brown Preying Mantis at the pool, I guess it had acclimatised to its surroundings. I've never seen a brown one before, just green.

The bad thing was that some of my plants were looking decidedly off colour ie the 2 of the 3 new citrus might not recover.  They still have green on their trunks, but after watering them every day, no new shoots

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 The 3rd has shown good signs of recovery

the new apple tree is also dicey

The cherry has perked up a little bit

In the back garden, the artichoke keeled over again, but has resprouted

And surprisingly a brave little new artichoke fern has emerged

When watering the garden, the town water was warm.  It wasn't as though it had heated up in the hose that had been lying in the sun.  It was warm straight from the tap, and continued to be warm. even after filling numerous buckets.  Was quite uncanny

Anyway, I arrived at Inglewood mid afternoon on the Friday before Australia Day.  Helen and the kids were already at the pool, so I unpacked and then joined them'

It was apparently 44 degrees at this stage, but in the pool, it was lovely.  Got myself a couple of noodles and just floated, so cooled down, and didn'r really feel all that hot.

Had a cold tuna salad for dinner - very nice

Saturday, and asked Steve to help and come to fix the washing machine/dishwasher connection.  He did so, which meant that I was back in business, and did multiple loads of washing  - dusty sheets etc

Also cleaned and tidied, ie moved excess "stuff" out of the little yellow room and into the back shed, put floor protectors under the kitchen chairs etc, moved some rugs around etc

Helen's friend Egon came and stayed also.

Pool in the afternoon, and another salad for dinner,and then sitting on the veranda and chatting after dinner

Sunday, and I introduced Xavier to the joys of running under sprinklers - which I assume he would have never experienced before, given that after so many years of drought, we never use residential sprinklers anymore.  He got a bit carried away at times ie sitting on the water jet

At least it was cooler in the mornings, so I was able to do a bit of weeding/gardening before it got too hot. Xavier helped me also

We spent most afternoons at the pool and I started a habit of using the noodles - swam some laps also

Helen and I sat out on the veranda most evenings - and watched the sunsets sky changing colours (got a bit carried away with the sky photos, but they were taken over numerous evenings).  Pity we weren't there for the super/red moon

We went canoeing to Boort one day.  Had wanted to do it in Bridgewater, but they only had singles canoes, and we didn't think that the kids would be able to do it by themselves.  Boort was lovely and green.  had a picnic lunch, and then out onto the lake

I took the kids up to St Arnauds  one day (Helen stayed at the house).  Had a look around and a visit to the various Op Shops. 

Organised a locksmith to come and put new deadlocks on both back doors - they work a treat, and we're very happy with them

Joined the Inglewood Library, and Michalea borrowed and read multiple books

Kim texted me on Thursday night to ask if I was coming to the IDTC meeting.  I did so - the first time I had ever been able to be there in person (previously it was only via Skype)

Bought some straw for mulch from near Derby.  This was on the Friday, and it was on course too hot to spread it out.  will do so next time

Went and had a morning coffee with Terry, and he advised that he'd been ill recently, and was now on the mend.

Left for Andrew & Miranda's Durham Lead Australia Day party around 10.30am.  Got to Chris & Lesley's where they gave me some lunch, and then on to Andrew and Miranda's next door. Went down their huge home made waterslide