Mother's day with Lana and Peter 10 - 12 May 2019

I caught the train to Bendigo, and then the coach to Inglewood  on Friday evening.  Bought some sushi from Southern Cross for dinner

Treated myself to a the First Class carriage, and had the front seat to myself - very nice

Arrived around 9.30pm, got a glass of wine, and watched Monarch of the Glen in bed

Saturday morning, and it was chilly....

And yes, it has been raining, the ground was "soft" and there is a green blush to the weeds

Went and had a cut and colour with Michelle at 9am

Came back and planted the seedlings that I'd brought up - hollyhock, foxglove, poppies etc

Given that we now have the watering system, they will hopefully survive

Then went in search of kindling for the first fire of the season

Was a little surprised at the remains of a bird carcass under the big tree - the meat ants were making short work of it

Left the bones behind, and gathered up some dampish sticks, and set our first fire of the season in the dining room

Did it Justin style - took a while to get going as the sticks were damp

But was going pretty well, by the time Justin and Lana & Peter  arrived together around 12.30

Justin had brought some antipasto supplies from Melbourne, and we had some here too.  It was also the first time we'd had lunch in the dining room for ages - normally under the big tree

Peter and Lana were wearing matching green tops

Was very pleasant, and the others ended up retiring for a post prandial nap.  I didn't, read the online Age etc

We had dinner at the Royal, and I had an excellent porterhouse steak

Back to the house, and some music making upstairs, followed by watching "Game Night" with Jason Bateman.  Justin and I had seen it before, and enjoyed it as a light comedy, and we thoroughly enjoyed it again

Given that it was cold, I organised hot water bottles for all of us 

However, I accidentally didn't screw in the top properly on one of them....

When Justin pulled back the covers he was faced with a sopping (yet still warm) side of the bed.  Although he knew it was an accident, he wasn't impressed

I had said I would sleep on that side, we could put a towel there etc.  No go, he went and slept elsewhere (at least we have 6 bedrooms set up)

Sunday was Mother's Day, and despite the hot water bottle fiasco, I did score a cup of coffee in bed

And then some avocado and vegemite toast in the dining room

Justin then went for a run (in preparation for the Great Ocean Road 1/2 marathon next week)

He came back somewhat soaked in sweat...

I had also suggested to Lana and Peter that they might like to cure some olives

So we went and picked some (small ones, that we wouldn't have to soak in water first)

I made up a brine, and sterilised the jars in the oven - and we made up at least 6 small jars worth

We wandered up to the RSL after this, as it was doing its annual Mother's Day spread - with Mick the cop on scone baking duty again

Lana, Peter and I  paid our gold coin donation, and enjoyed the scones, biscuits and sandwiches etc

Justin elected to remain behind, as he wanted a "proper" lunch

He did come and join us eventually - just to say hello - and he then made himself a sandwich back at the house

He also fixed up the front watering system - to make sure that it automatically turns on in the morning

We left for Melbourne around 3pm, as the kids were making me a special Mother's Day dinner (and also inviting Helen and the kids over too)

Fraser, especially outdid himself - making red dip, olive dip, and fried up cabana for starters.  then chicken schnitzel, cucumber salad, potato salad, and cauliflower patties.  Mad made an apple crumble which was very nice also 

Opera, fur and pearls 26th - 28th April 2019

Well, what a weekend!

Pottered around in Melbourne til after 12, didn't feel like I accomplished much, but I was somehow rather busy

Unlike last week (Easter) - when it was unseasonally warm - up to 30 degrees, it was cooler this weekend, but still pleasant

First thing I noticed when I arrived was that Troy had affixed the water timer to the front tap as requested

However, I don't think it was programmed.  Texted Troy to find out, and he confirmed that he found it a bit tricky, and couldn't work it out.  I also tried getting Justin to advise me over the phone, but that was too hard also.  In the end I asked Terry if he could have a look, and he thought that he'd got it right, but then speaking to Justin again later, he asked if the tap was actually turned on - it wasn't.  when I turned it on, the sprinklers came on - and they shouldn't have as Terry had programmed it for 7am.  So turned it off again, and will have to wait for Justin....

So, back to watering the citrus by bucket by hand....

After this changed into my winter coveralls (long sleeves), and started patching up the scullery

Pulled out old telephone lead wire

Had a bit of filler left - so did some upstairs also

Leftovers for dinner, and into bed quite early - to keep warm.  Wasn't freezing, but a bit on the cool side.  Watched some Monarch of the Glen episodes in bed - lovely!

Saturday morning, and breakfast outside

Was brisk, but lovely and sunny

And then back to it - as I'd filled some large holes in the scullery, which had dried from yesterday, but had to be refilled

I also got the hacksaw out, and tentatively sawed through the casing for the old electricity wires.  And yes, they had been disconnected, no nasty shocks!

Finished up the patching, but still wanted to be useful.

Justin was complaining the over Easter that it was hard to find good wines in the cellar, as we had put them in the racks a bit higgedly piggedly

So I decided to rectify this

Wanted to group the various types together ie shiraz, shiraz blends, cab sav, bubbles, riesling chardonnay etc

Along the way I found a broken bottle of wine (with the liquid long gone) in the middle of a rack.

It was a prosecco, and it was still sealed - very curious.  I mentioned it to Terry later, and he thought that if there was a scratch on the bottle, the pressure could build up and break the bottle at the weak point ie the scratch

So cleaned up the glass as best I could, and also got rid of boxes and a lot of dust/dirt

Four salamis still hanging from last season

Finished up around 12, had a quick lunch, then showered and changed into my "glad rags" pearls and a fur stole (too warm for a jacket)

Then up to Kingower to pick up Terry, and off to Tarnagulla for the Opera.

This time it was the Love Potion - an Italian opera by Donizetti

As I said I had dressed up in pearls and with a fur,  Terry also dressed up in a dinner suit and colourful bow tie

Some people in front of us - told us that we looked fabulous (and who cared about political correctness, as the fur was very old, and well dead)

One of the men asked where we were from.  I said Melbourne, but that I also had a place in Inglewood.

He then proceeded to say how Inglewood had 3 or 4 2nd hand shops, the Town Hall, and a big house across the road from it.

I couldn't help myself, so had to ask what he thought of the house.  Said he loved it, thought it wonderful

I agreed with him, and then confessed that it was mine - which I guess surprised him... Was rather amusing.

And then the opera started, - which was rollicking good fun

Rachel B played her Madam Carandini role as narrator - explaining each scene- as they were obviously singing in Italian

I obtained the below photos from the internet

There was an interval at which time we had another drink, (yes it was licensed again) and I checked out the spread in the adjoining supper room.  Looked pretty good

Chatted with Rachel, and told her how much I had enjoyed the Newbridge lunch, so she then introduced me to the previous Loddon Mayor :- Geoff.  I told him that I would be keen to help in organising the next lunch... We'll see if anything comes of that.

Terry and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, and look forward to the next event - which will be the Gilbert and Sullivan Festival in Dunolly on the Queen's Birthday weekend.  Justin will certainly be interested in coming to that

Drove Terry back to his place, and then admired the sun on the gum trees along the road on the way back to my place

It was still lovely when I got back, and given that I had been talking to Rachel yet again about coming over and having a gin and tonic on my veranda, I decided to have one myself

 and then back downstairs for another cobbled together dinner, and some more Monarch of the Glen in bed

Sunday, and had to water the citrus by bucket by hand again

Rang up Terry to ask him if he knew how to program those water computers, and asked if he was driving by at any stage

He thought so, was, and so dropped in

He thought he'd got it, as I wrote at the start

 

 Had programmed it for 7am starts, but the tap wasn't turned on, so we'll have to wait for Justin

I also got him to fix the bent tip of the Trident knife - he is very handy

I then shouted him a coffee at what was called Gee Gees, and is now the Inglewood Cafe (I think).

Saw a rather fancy car drive past.  Turned out it was a Morgan

Terry left after the coffee, and I then went back into the cellar - cataloguing the wines

Did a pretty good job I reckon.  Justin should be pleased

Tidied up, and then drove to the airport, as I was catching a flight to the Gold Coast on Sunday evening.  Staying with Tess, and going with her to dear old Uncle Peter's funeral on Monday in Coraki