Kingower Christmas night 21 & 22 December 2019

Well, a year to the day that Mum died on 21st December - the day after her birthday

We raised a glass to her yesterday, and then again today ( a couple of times)

J and I got to Inglewood around lunch time - and as per our now established routine had a bakery pie for lunch.

I volunteered to go and get them, but was apparently about an hour, as first I'd bought eggs from David who was chatty, the dropped in on Denise and Steven, then up to the IGA to get some cold beer and milk, and then finally the bakery...J was wondering where I was

So, lunch out the back under the tree, and then into the hammock also under the tree to read - thought I'd take it easy until Karen and Tom arrived around 3.30pm

And the garden was still very dry... the stupid watering system still didn't seem to be working properly.

A few of my new citruses were especially badly hit. Below is a very parched cumquat in the front garden

Justin had to fix up the system yet again - not sure if the water pressure is too low, or what.  Granted it had been about 47 degrees on Friday, so even if it was working properly, that would have been heat shock enough.

Of course I had to hand water the effected plants before my hammock reading.

And, we seem to be winning the battle of the ants, as there are far fewer in that big nest outside the orchard.

Karen and Tom arrived around 3.30, and Karen gave Tom a tour of the house, and then the town.  I selfishly remained behind,as I wanted to finish my book

Was G and T time around 5pm, so we arised a glass to Mum then, under the tree.  wasn't that hot today, so maybe we could have been on the veranda, but it was quite windy

Karen went to close the curtains in the red room, and the whole shebang - pelmet and curtains came tumbling down

They therefore took the upstairs green room

Left for Kingower around 6.20, and there were the usual suspects there

Terry had a large portable oven hooked up, where he warmed up a glazed ham, and  also cooked a couple of butterflied lamb legs - delicious, I had brought up an onion tart, and others brought up salads and desserts etc

 

Was still a bit windy, but a lovely night nonetheless

Sunday morning and a very slow start by our guests.....after 10.30, we were getting hungry, so had some breakfast and a cup of coffee before they got up.

I did some more watering too, and J saw to the ants again

After they had breakfast, Karen Tom and I went up to Melville Caves for a look see (Tom hadn't been there before) - sat and admired the view for a while

Then back to Inglewood, and some more bakery pies for lunch

Back from the Ghan 7th and 8th December 2019

Got back from our marvellous Ghan and Darwin trip on Sunday night

And, we haven't been to Inglewood for a month!

Had organised to get there by lunchtime,as we were meeting Karl from Cole Clark (Guitars) to see if he might be interested in our dead Bunya tree for making into guitars

Sadly, he wasn't, as there were too many knots etc - even down the bottom of the trunk

He was an interesting bloke to talk to though, and he stayed a while to chat, but didn't want anything to eat or drink

Had a bit of a lazy Saturday, reading on the hammock etc.

But also had to fix up the watering system AGAIN.  seems to have been turned off AGAIN!, and looks like 3 of the kiwi fruit plants have died, which I'm pretty annoyed about, and the new citrus and other new fruit trees were looking pretty dry also

That said, one of the grape vine cuttings has sprouted by the back deck, so I'm pleased about that

 
The vegie garden was pretty dry also - no more artichokes, just the flowers now.  Lot of bees around and in the flowers

Went up to Kingower around 6.30, for the 1st Saturday in the month get together

The usual suspects were there, and it was very nice to catch up.  Terry had a small bowl of cherries that he'd picked from his tree (his entire harvest) and shared them around - delicious

I then realised that I hadn't seen any cherries on my tree when I'd watered it earlier today - bloody birds!

It was a very pleasant evening, sunny, blue, warm, and still -we stayed til about 7.30, and then back to our place to have a picnic dinner, and watched Always be my Maybe -  an Asian /American rom com, which was quite amusing.

Sunday, and a slow start, and then I went to visit Terry for a coffee.  We'd discussed it last night, as we were going to also brainstorm food for the Christmas get together.  Stayed an hour or more, then dropped off a cd at Arlene's and then dropped off the Wedderburn book at Pauline's - and she invited us to their New Year's party if we were up and not doing anything.  Might just take her up on that!

I'd also called Justin in transit, and suggested that I get us a couple of pies for lunch, so finally got back to the house well after 1pm

After lunch, I thought I should do something, so, given that my poor plants were parched - and probably hungry, I busted out some chicken poo that I'd bought from David some years before hand (would have been well rotted down)

Spread it around most of the fruit trees, and then watered it in

And when I was watering the cherry I noticed a glimpse of red - was thrilled to see 2 x surviving cherries - one pecked at, the other intact - which I promptly ate

I'll have to net them next year

I also planted a geranium cutting that Terry had given - the flower was a glorious crimson colour, and I had admired and commented on it while having my coffee.  Hope it survives

And Justin also attacked the ants again (both on Saturday and Sunday) - this time using termite poison...this time it looks like its working

Roast Lamb Dinner party 8 - 10 November 2019

Justin got home earlyish on Friday - so we went to Tooronga Village to buy some dinner supplies.  I perhaps went a bit overboard, and bought sushi, some bento boxes, chips, savoury shapes, dessert etc

However, the traffic was shocking , so we didn't get to Inglewood til close to 8pm

Didn't matter, had a nice dinner picnic upstairs

Saturday, and I made Justin a nice breakfast in bed, and we had a slow start reading the digital papers

Rang Terry and asked him for dinner as I had brought my self described "fabulous" sloe gin made from Inglewood plums

and my slightly less fabulous apricot gin

and I had wanted him to try some - as I had discussed it with him

Also invited Arlene, David and June - and Alex and Sarah were coming later.  So dinner for 8

Took some more of Mum's odds and ends to Denise's and suggested a coffee which we had at the butchers

I had wanted to buy a pork belly there, but they didn't have any.  Went to the IGA to see if they had any - they didn't so back to the butcher and a lamb leg.

The Bunya seems to have died,as there are no green leaves now.  Took some photos as I had called up the Cole Clark Guitar company to see if they're interested (they are), even though it's pretty scrappy

The artichoke is looking good though, and I harvested some to take back to Melbourne

The delphiniums are lovely (but the poppies are just about finished)

I was also very pleased to see that one of the apple trees that I'd bought some years ago had a little apple forming on it

Had our usual pies for lunch from the bakery, and on  the way back I dropped in on Noi, as I had hoped to get some coriander.  The lady next door told me that Noi wasn't there, and we got to chatting, and introduced ourselves.  My reputation had preceded me - as "the Lisa" with Tivey's house, which I found most amusing. We had a good chat, she (Marilyn) was very nice, and she told me how her grandmother would take her to the house for afternoon tea with Mrs Secombe.  I invited her over to come and have a look around and tell me how much or little its changed

So, back to the house with our pies - took longer than Justin had anticipated.  He was working in the dining room, as he has a murder case starting on Monday.

After lunch I did some more work in the garden, and also started scraping the loose paint and gunk off the front door and surrounds

Then went in  around 4pm to get the dinner ready - found a recipe on the internet - yogurt coated lamb with Indian spices.  Also made an accompanying lentil, tomato and baby spinach salad, and a raita. Lastly prepared a self saucing chocolate pudding  for dessert

Maile, David and Marilyn dropped by while I was in the middle of this, and I showed them around - Marilyn said the kitchen hadn't changed at all!

Alex and Sarah arrived around 4pm, and set the table, tidied up etc 

Terry came on time at 6 for drinks.  I had wanted to have them on the veranda, but it was a bit windy and cool, so not the best.  We went upstairs instead.  And because we were upstairs and chatting etc, we couldn't hear when Arlene and others arrived.  Apparently they were knocking (not very loudly) for ages, went around the back, and also walked up the street to see if we were at the pub.

I only realised they were there when I went downstairs to check on the lamb...

Anyway, alls well, (and Arlene does have a habit of being late,as Terry knows)

Once the others had had some drinks, and cheese and biscuits we went downstairs for dinner.

Was great - food and company!

 

I told them how much I enjoyed this type of dinner party with multiple conversations, and lots of noise

After dinner, it was upstairs for some  music - David, Justin, and Alex played, the rest of us listened

Got to bed around 1am - was a really good night

Slow start again on sunday, reading in bed, toast in the kitchen for breakfast

Alex took some nice photos of the house and garden

Inside

and garden

and Town Hall

And Justin tried to get rid of the bull ants again, as they are slowly taking over that section

    

Motel Gig 26 -27 October 2019

Justin had work to do, so brought it with him.  I had planned to do gardening when we got there - but the weather was so awful - rainy at times, and extremely windy, that I stayed inside and read the Age.  Wasn't that cold though (although Justin wanted and had the heater on).

Pauline suggested that Jerry might come and pick us up around 5pm, for their music & dinner extravaganza (we had planned to drive and then walk home)

Justin gathered up with his equipment - guitar, mike, amp etc and off we went with a bottle of bubbles also

We were told that this shindig was going to be in "the shed"

And what a shed it was, it was huge! Certainly bigger than some people's houses.  They had set up a large table (upturned table tennis table), there were 2 discreet areas with couches, a raised stage (for the music), a billiard table, darts etc etc - and all very roomy.  Pity I didn't get any photos of it

Steve and Denise were there also, plus Brian and his wife, and a few people from the caravan park

Was a great night.  Justin got up and sang, as did some of the others (and even me at times)

 

Some of these blokes were gold detectors, and they showed me some of the gold that they had found. I was pretty chuffed

Pauline also lent me a true crime book called Wedderburn - about a triple murder there from a few years ago.  It was apparently quite controversial, as the townspeople didn't like it

So, we ate, we drank, we played pool badly, (me that was), and I played darts very badly also.  Pauline suggested a game where you had to hit the #1 section, then #2, then #3 etc. I was left well behind.  However I apparently threw the darts quite hard, sounded like a punch, which amused my competitors.

We finished up after 12, and walked home - was pretty dark, so walked on the road, only one or 2 cars went by.

Home and straight to bed

Slow start in the morning, reading in bed etc.  Was still windy but nowhere as near as bad as yesterday.  Terry dropped in to see if I had any thoughts about a November event (pre Christmas).  Given birthdays, and our trip on the Ghan, I thought not.

Also chatted to Terry about his opinion re the proposed fly screens, he wondered about the type of screen ie black or silver, and also whether moldings should be used.  I took him around the house, pointing out where I wanted them, as I'd asked if he could take the Bendigo Mitre 10 guy around for measurements

Basically I wanted fly screens everywhere except the bay windows (given the damage)

Started on the ground - thought we could refurbish our two window frames, as the wood was still good - but there were holes in the flyscreen

 Same with the downstairs green room frames

Then the bathroom

 One in the dining room

Small window in the back hall

Scullery

Two in the kitchen

Coloured window on the stair landing

Two in the garden room

Little Yellow room

Upstairs bathroom

Red room

And lastly, upstairs green room

Terry left soon after this, and then Justin and I went outside, as the watering system didn't seem to be working properly everywhere - ie very dry in one corner of the front bed

And it didn't seem to be working properly for the new kiwi fruit plants, so I was back to hand watering.  Seemed as though it wasn't turned on high enough - poor things were very droopy

Perked up after having been watered a few times

\
 The original fig is full of fruit

Some of the citrus look thirsty also

So, did some watering and more gardening/weeding/chopping etc. Removed a pesky wild hollihock which had sort of taken over

And that was about it, filled up Gordon's trailer a bit more