More Professional Plastering 11-15 April

 A solo visit this time - as David the plasterer had called and said that he would be in Inglewood on Monday morning

That meant that I left for Inglewood on Sunday afternoon

Got up on Monday at 6.30am  - as i wanted to be up and dressed when David arrived

Was surprised to see many galahs foraging on the ground - 20, 30, 50 of them - who knows - certainly too many to count.  I tried to get closer, but they flew away

David arrived just after 7am and started working in the dining room again - putting in the skirting 

It had unfortunately bowed a bit, so he had to cut it in a few places

He also needed to come back on Tuesday - so I had to call Helen and say that I wouldn't be able to make Xavier's birthday dinner on Tuesday night - we changed it to Friday night

Anyway, back to Inglewood - David, plastered - and I pottered around in the garden on Monday - picking up those piles of cuttings and putting them in Gordon's trailer

I also moved all of the bits of wood (from the jacaranda tree) that Gordon had chopped up

On inspecting my pomegranates which were looking lovely and red - I was horrified to see that the bloody fruit flies had got into some of them (like the peaches and the apples)

So I had to collect the bad ones up, and bag them in plastic 

David finished up early afternoon on Tuesday - so I attempted to pay him.  However it was a cash price, and once again I didn't have my purse/credit card with me.  But I had my mobile phone - so went to the ATM at the Bendigo Bank - no good, needed a card for withdrawals.  I also went in the bank, and they told me the same thing

Hmm, so quickly back to the house, - and into the car

Drove to the supermarket - no good, couldn't EFTPOS any cash out, nor the chemist, then onto the Roadhouse, no good there either, then to the Post Office, and finally to the estate agent.  Yay,- success! Jamie did have some cash which he very kindly lent me - I went and paid David, and then immediately transferred the money back into Jamie's bank account.  Whew - had to go to 6 places before I could get some cash.

And what with the Good Friday appeal debacle last time, and now this, I will make a point of always taking my purse/credit card to Inglewood - just in case

Anyway, after David left, I put on the overalls and  got rid of the wallpaper around the door (that we had to leave up for Restoration Australia)

And then I started plastering myself

I reckon I'm doing a pretty good job, but haven't touched the cornices yet

The rest of the works are looking pretty good too

I did also realise that some cornice upstairs in the Bee room needs replacing - but its not the same as downstairs - Grrr, so Stuart will have to come back and get the profile again

On the Wednesday night - I happened to see a lovely sunset - below is my original photo

And here is the google touched up photo - with more brilliant colours

I was pretty single minded, and just worked, didn't really socialise, but on the Thursday morning I dropped in on Terry for a coffee and lovely baklava that he'd made- and told him that I had been speaking to some people the other side of Bendigo about making olive oil out of my olives - and thought he might be interested also

He was, and so we'll see how we go    

 

Easter Wed 31 - Mon 5 April 2021

Well, I'm pretty behind on this entry... and it was such an action packed stay

Justin and I left for Inglewood on Wednesday afternoon to try and beat the expected Easter traffic on Thursday afternoon.

There was a bit more traffic than normal, but it was ok, and I made us a lovely fresh tuna steak dinner when we arrived

Thursday morning, and there was a knock at the door, and it was Kate, Malcolm, and 3 of their 4 kids had dropped in on their way to Mildura

Showed them around, and had a cup of tea in the rotunda

I did a bit of gardening - found some self seeded rocket

Admired the green grass on the Kingower side of the garden

and watched the progress of the pomegranates and olives

The self sown tomato looks pretty good 

Moved the rocket seedlings

Unfortunately the watermelon seems to have pretty much died

Maile and David also dropped in to say hello

Also found a 4 pack of Harry Potter books for Michaela, and texted Arleen to see if she had any more basil.  She did, and brought me 2 huge bouquets. (I had wanted to make some basil liqueur, and also pesto

Helen and the kids arrived later in the afternoon

Finished off in the garden and had a welcome G&T

We went to the pub for dinner - and saw Michelle & Michael, and Maile, David & co.  Dinner was pretty good, and came quickly too.

Back home, and we watched a movie projected on the house wall, as it was lovely weather, and still quite balmy

We watched Adventures in Babysitting which was a blast from the past for Helen and myself, as we had seen it in the cinema when it came out in the 80s

We all had a good laugh, and the kids enjoyed it too

Was really lovely sitting out there under the stars. I'd wanted to watch a movie like this for years (but we had the jacaranda tree there in the way before)

Good Friday, and of course all of the shops were closed. Of course, I was well prepared (for most things)

Anyway, Justin and I had got into the habit of breakfast in bed on the weekends.  Justin would get me breakfast in bed on Saturday, and I would get him breakfast in bed on Sunday.

Now because we were going to have a house full of people on the weekend, I suggested that we have our breakfast in beds on Thursday and Friday - so I got breakfast in bed on Thursday, and Justin his, on Friday.

On Friday, we were still in bed - reading the digital paper, doing the crossword etc - and we'd heard Helen and Xavier go out to the park.  And then about 10 minutes later there was a knock at the door.  I yelled to Helen to go around the back, as I didn't want to get out of bed to open up the front door.

However the knocking continued, Justin then said that it wasn't Helen, so I got out of bed and went into the hallway in my pajamas.  I could sort of see a few people through the side glass - and unfortunately they could see me too, and I heard them say - someone's there....which meant I had no option but to answer the door

I did so, just poking my head out, hiding  my pajama clad body behind the door.  Hmm, it was the local CFA and a few kids door knocking for the Good Friday appeal.  I felt like a rabbit in the spotlight - and so quickly said that I didn't have any cash (I didn't, but felt embarrassed none the less - no cash, in pajamas etc). 

Anyway, I quickly closed the door, but felt guilty.  we got up soon afterwards (I guess it was sometime between 10 & 11am).  Justin went to the ATM, and we sent Xavier out looking for the CFA crew to give them a sizeable enough donation to make up for earlier.

Unfortunately, he couldn't find them - so we'll go down as those cheapskates in the big house....Will have to be prepared for next year if we're there at Easter again.

Anyway, after all that - Michelle and John had organised to come up for lunch, and they brought a couple of roast chickens and some salads.  I made a tabouli salad, and also made a cacio e pepe cheesy pull-apart sour dough loaf 

It was all delicious

Lunch sort of morphed into afternoon drinks (I might have had a little afternoon nap) - and Maile and David dropped in again and brought me a new rosemary plant - and also joined us for drinks. And Sarah had also arrived by this stage

Managed to persuade Michelle and John to stay the night - set them up in the bee room.  And magically extended the dinner to accommodate 2 more mouths.  Alex had also arrived by this stage

Given the success of the movie last night, we watched another one tonight - this time - the Blues brothers - which all of us except the kids had seen before. But I hadn't seen it in years, and its such a classic

Saturday, and another lovely sunny day

Justin painted the front door a bit more

 And Sarah drove myself, Helen, Xavier and Alex (Michaela and Justin stayed home), and Michelle and John drove in their car to Melville Caves

Was glorious and clear

We then dropped in on Maile and David, as John was keen to see how they lived off the grid

Had a coffee and biscuits and also admired her brilliant red lillies?

Back home for a late lunch, and then Michelle and John left (longest lunch ever - from yesterday)

Helen, Sarah, Xavier and Aaron went to Bridgewater for a swim in the river 

Was lovely

Helen elected to stay on the bank and read the 1st Harry Potter book

Back home around 6 or so, and yet more drinks under the big tree, and a leftover type dinner

And then another movie - this time The Spy who dumped me.  Helen had recommended it, as she'd seen 1/2 of it before.  

Was pretty funny

Sunday - and I hid eggs for an Easter Egg Hunt for the kids

Took a little while to find the last ones - but they got them all in the end 

Justin out some food out for the magpies on the kiwi fruit fence

 Justin tried teaching Xavier how to play guitar, and Helen and I had a game of scrabble

 

And yet more nibbles and drinks

Dinner was my famous slow cooked Easter Lamb with pomegranate and fetta - delicious

Xavier took photos of me drying the lettuce - by spinning it in a tea towel 

We ate out in the rotunda, and then another film - The Interview  with Seth Rogen and James Franco

Alex and I also took photos of the night sky (I have my new mobile phone - old one fell in the water with me in Tasmania)

Alex took the 1st shot which was stunning - as the stars are visible as well as part of our house illuminated

 I copied with different angles

So then Alex did some different shots also - Yep, I concede that his are better than mine.... 

I also took shots of the audience

,,

Monday, and by this stage we'd all eaten and drunk enough....- so were relatively abstinent for lunch 

I picked 2 lots of olives - firstly the little black ones out the front for the CWA  gals.  Micheala helped

And then the larger green ones for me 

Also picked some pomegranates