Anyway, Helen was keen to go to Inglewood, so off we went
They got there a lot earlier than I did, I arrived for a late lunch on Tuesday. I'd asked Helen to put a pie in the oven for me
After lunch pottered around in the garden, and after dinner we watched Jumanji Welcome to the jungle on my laptop - we all thought it was hilarious
I had told Helen that I wouldn't get up til 8am (was reading in bed etc), and so neither did they, was very relaxing.
Wednesday, and I thought we might drop in on Terry in the morning for a coffee, so called him up. He was going out, so no go, he also told me how he was concreting around the house, so I asked if he wanted a non professional hand. He did, so we arranged to go there tomorrow at 9am. Helen said she'd help, and brought the kids too, as she didn't want them home alone for hours.
The kids had friends come and visit - ones that they'd befriended over Summer at the pool, so off they went, and that at least got them off their screens
I was going to have a cut and colour with Michelle on Friday, but she had a cancellation, so I went and had a cut at 1pm
Back in the garden with my new haircut afterwards - damn that invasive oxalis!
I also found a lovely dark plump iris bud lurking in the shrubbery
Dinner was leftovers, and we saw another film - this time it was a children's ghost movie with Maggie Smith
Thursday, and a quick start, and then off to Terry's by 9am
Had a welcome coffee (my second after my one at breakfast), and then out we went
Helen and I were on concrete mixer duty, and Xavier was also there buzzing about. Michaela was inside reading. Terry was on wheelbarrow and spreading duty
Terry had to show us to what to :- 4 shovels full of rocks, 2 of sand, and one of cement, and then water to wet it down, and make a nice paste, not too much, or you'd need more sand
Was quite tiring work, Helen and I took it in turns to do the batches
And there were about 4 batches per mixer load
Each wheelbarrow full was approximately 100kg, luckily Terry didn't tip any over
As with the cutting wood, we soon warmed up
Meanwhile Terry was taking wheelbarrow loads around to the side of his house where he had made timber forms to contain the concrete. The reason that he had needed to do the concreting was that water had been getting under his house for some time, and doing some damage inside
I also helped Terry do some evening up with a flat piece of timber- but wasn't that good at it
We ended up doing 2 of those large rectangles, and then adjourned inside for lunch
Terry warmed up some of his fabulous sausage rolls for me, him and Xavier, and made Helen and Michaela an omelette each
And after this it was off to Maile and David's as we said that we would come over on Thursday afternoon to pick the rest of the olives - I had also volunteered to do some wedding/trimming back, but Maile wouldn't hear of it
Picked over 8kg all up with the kids and Helen helping - they were lovely, and I ended giving them away to my CWA buddies in Melbourne. That said I will obviously give Maile a big jar.
And had yet another coffee after we finished....my 4th for the day, and too many for me - wondered how I would sleep. And the answer was not very well, as I took ages to fall asleep
Anyway, left Mailes late afternoon, and back to the house. Didn't really feel like cooking, and the kids were angling for a pub meal. so compromised and got takeaway from the pub. I was looking forward to another nice hot long bath, so didn't really want to go there
Helen and the kids did the ordering and pick up (I paid, and bathed). Took ages...so as per last time Justin got takeway I was in fact able to have a nice long bath
Had 2 x pizzas which were pretty good, and then another film for all of us. This time School of Rock which we all loved
And as I said, I didn;'t sleep that well tonight - all the coffee.....
Friday, and more weeding....
And another movie after dinner - this time an 80s classic - Ferris Bueller's Day off - and once again we all loved it
Justin, Alex and April arrived around 10.15pm, and had a quick sandwich and to bed. Alex gave Justin a lift, and was keen to come up on the Friday night so that he could wake up in Inglewood on Saturday morning, and therefore get 2 nights there
Saturday, and more weeding etc for me,
While Justin and Alex fixed up the curtains in the red room, as the pelmet had crashed down a while ago bringing the curtains with it. And of course it wasn't just a simple job, took a while..It's never coming down again!
Had an antipasto type lunch outside in the rotunda which was rather nice, and the kids friends came around again to play
The kids were also climbing up the tree
Alex and April also went up the street to look at the shops, and came back with a special album for Justin
Around 5.30 headed up to Kingower for the 1st Saturday of the month get together, and as per last time there was a lovely hot fire. More of a breeze though....(so the smoke could be a bit of a nuisance depending on your position)
Alex rather kindly brought up a bottle of boutique gin, and tonic water, so we had a few of those
Got darker, and so we headed off around around 6.30 for home - where I had prepared a roast pork and potatoes, and April was keeping an eye on them
Alex had taken the below photo earlier
Sunday, and I had suggested that we'd go and help Terry again with the concreting, and Justin and Alex also came along to assist ( I didn't expect them to, they wanted to)
But first one of Terry's fab coffees
And then out into the cold, because we were experts, Helen and I manned the concrete mixer again
While Justin and Alex were on digging duty around the back of the house
Justin also helped with some levelling
So did this for a few hours, and then back to the house for lunch, as the kids and April were waiting for us
Had warmed up a bit by this stage, and we were also warmed up by working
Lunch was practically a repeat of yesterday's - in the rotunda with antipasto type fare
And then just pottered around, tidied up, and back to Melbourne
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