Kingower Christmas Party 15 -17 December 2023

Justin and I drove up on Friday afternoon - and the traffic was minimal - yay. Stopped in Kyneton at the excellent Fook Shing restaurant - had the banquet (yet again) - absolutely delicious.

The waitress was very good also - anticipating when our glasses needed re-topping

Got to Inglewood around 10.30pm, and to bed 

Saturday, and a nice lazy start - Alex and Jane weren't coming up til later in the afternoon 

I was surprised that the well plums were ripe, and not so thrilled that the birds had discovered them

Justin took a very nice photo of a musk lorikeet enjoying itself

That made me a bit mad ....- so I went out and picked a big bucket of pristine plums - and a smaller one for Terry ( will make more sloe gin)

The birds just seemed to play around with the plums - not eating them fully, just piercing them with their claws/beaks and moving on to spoil the next one

It was like they were making crazy plum jack o' lanterns

I also spied some bloomin' bindi eyes - pulled out about 70 small ones 

And planted the mint and a geranium that Clare had given me

And then squashed lots of boxes for the recycling

We also had a visit from Steve (shed guy) who came out for a site visit - we plan to put up a garage - 6.5m x 10m parallel to the back fence - for cars and also a workshop/storage - and will put solar panels on it - yay.  With a bit of luck it will be up by May next year

Alex and Jane arrived around 3.30pm, and after showing Jane around (she hadn't seen the latest developments ie kitchen en suite, mural etc ) - we prepared our offerings for tonight - I was bringing a fresh beetroot, green bean, fetta, rocket, walnut and blue cheese salad, and Jane made up a lovely berry pavlova

Gordon also dropped in to say hello - so he and Justin had a beer in the kitchen

Late afternoon - we started on the G&Ts - had them in the kitchen also

Left for Kingower around 6.45   

We were outside St Marys to start with - bubbles and nibbles - very pleasant

And then inside for the main event - delicious rolled stuffed chicken and beef, accompanied by our salads, and finished off with our desserts 

And there was even some music - as Mark had brought a guitar and urged Justin to play a few songs (he and David did too)

Another delightful evening - and Jane kindly volunteered to drive us home around 11.30pm (we were one of the last to leave)

Sunday and guess what - a slow start - just toast and coffee for breakfast

Phil had been telling me how lovely the pistachios were looking at the moment (last night)  - so then they invited us to come and have a look - I called up and said we'd be there within the hour - which we were.  

Their property is lovely - Damo had already told us how beautiful it was - but it really was

An iron bark flanked long drive towards the house, past a huge lake and then an "art sculpture park" on gorgeous green grass in front of the house - it was the type of place that you would come and have a picnic at

I guess we were all too stunned to take a photo of that - but we did take photos in the pistachio orchard

And they then showed us an enormous fig tree - you can't really get an idea of the scale from the photos 

Then went inside and had a cold drink - and they also gave us some of their Rheola wine - made from their grapes by Cameron from Passing Clouds - which was very nice of them

Then back to Terry's but by this stage it was 12.30 - and his car wasn't there - so we went back home and had some lunch

I called Terry and he said that he had literally been gone for all of 5 minutes - anyway back to Terry's around 2.30 (just me and Jane) - as Terry had invited us to come and pick apricots - as he had a bountiful crop.  They weren't quite ripe  - but would ripen off the tree 

The apricot tree is to the left of the car port

So we picked quite a few each - and then went inside and had a deliciously cooling G&T - yum

Then back to Inglewood and Alex and Jane packed up and left

Justin and I left soon after - but he had pointed out that the scones in the ensuite were not symmetrical - so we can now not unsee that - and it will have to be rectified - yet another thing to tell Cam....

 

Aged to Perfection Party Thur 30 - Tue 5 December 2023

Drove up by myself on Thursday early afternoon - Cam's guys had done some sanding of the plaster, - so there was light dust in the kitchen and powder room and had also pulled off the split piece of floorboard  - leaving an unsightly gap.  Had wanted them to replace the floorboard....

Shane and one of his guys was also there when I arrived - fixing up the kiwi fruit watering system.  He actually had to replace the timer - as it had deteriorated and was leaking.  He also told me that he would be starting in the New Year.... 

Anyway, continued in the kitchen....and I started washing dishes in our new butlers sink - yay. The right hand side of the sink is good for draining/hiding clean dishes - but I soon filled that

And I cleared up the hallway as best I could.  Called Cam and asked what bits he needed to keep - sent him photos - was able to put some pieces of wood outside. Rationalised the plasterboard pieces etc 

Unfortunately the new fridge has to stay in the hall (Alex had suggested moving it to the back veranda - but then we'd need to move it back - not worth it..)

And the rangehood is also in the hallway - it apparently doesn't fit (despite Cam having measured it)....we need to get another one 

Also had some boxes ready to go to the Op Shop - which I took later on

Unfortunately forgot to take an after photo - as I had cleared it out more than the above

But back to the kitchen - tidy drawers

Friday, and Alex and April came up in the afternoon - I continued on in the kitchen, and also tried to move stuff out of the downstairs green room, as we were planning on having Madeleine and Hughie sleep there - once we got the beds down from the Music room 

I also cut back the orange vine over the front path

But did it very gingerly (lots of bees) - given what happened a few weeks ago - I didn't want to get stung again - and I didn't

So, I was pretty pleased with the kitchen -  the last thing was to unwrap the 4 new stools 

And then place them - it's all looking pretty good - but the Aga is still literally under wraps because  the rangehood fan hasn't been installed yet

Alex and April went and bought some nibbles - which we ate in the kitchen - the first "meal"

Some further photos of our lovely new kitchen

I then went and had a shower and changed into my pjs - was feeling gritty from cleaning up the kitchen etc.

Justin and Madeleine were also coming tonight - I thought that they would initially leave Melbourne around 4pm, but they didn't leave til after 6pm and their ETA was around 8.30pm - much too late for the pub.

We had suggested takeaway (and keeping it warm) but then changed our minds for something healthier - Alex and April went and bought a roast chicken and some salad etc.  But this was disappointing news to J & M who had been looking forward to some takeaway.  They then said they would be happy with just some takeaway chips.

I tried calling the takeaway shop to order - but they didn't answer the phone, so I ended up grudgingly getting dressed again, grabbing an umbrella - because at this stage it was raining and walking up to the shop

And guess what - it was just closing.  They said that they close at 7.45pm on a Friday - ridiculous! -so obviously no chips

Anyway, Justin  and Madeleine arrived around 8.45pm, we had our dinner all together in the dining room, and then we heard from Clare - her, Nin & kids had arrived at their B&B , so they came around for a post dinner drink also.

 Clare took a nice photo of the butcher shop and Royal Hotel on the way back to their B&B

Ended up going to bed after 12  

Saturday - party day!

Alex and I went to the Town Hall and set up the tables and chairs 

Fraser and Riley arrived in the morning, and their friends Caitlin and Tom a bit later

And then Clare came over the rounded up the kids to put tablecloths on the tables - ironing them first

Meanwhile Nin and Rory asked what they could do to help back at the house - they were terrific - dusting, vaccuming etc like champions

Madeleine and Justin made us all nice sandwiches for lunch

I got Fraser and Tom to carry down the mattresses to the downstairs green room - for him and Rileigh

Madeleine and Hughie were taking the upstairs green room, Helen the little yellow room, and Karen the garden room -although we couldn't find the screws/ bolts to put the day bed back together again.  We would have put them in plastic bag and sticky taped them to the frame.  However the frame had been moved a few times since being dismantled - so the pack was lost/misplaced.  Justin got pretty mad about that (me too)

While looking for the daybed screw I came across my missing G&T glass - Shawn had used it for painting - I wasn't impressed - why didn't he just use a plastic cup or takeaway container? 

Whilst walking between our place and the Town Hall I noticed a magpie atop Major Tivey's head, and thought it would make a good photo ( Justin then copied and took a similar shot the next day)

Anyway, after lunch - the kids and Clare, and our Melbourne neighbour Julie  went back to the Town Hall for further decoration duty

Clare did a marvellous job with the flowers - using those that Alex had bought and mixing them in with what we had in the garden - ie acanthus and prunus leaves, palm, olive branches, artichokes etc 

They certainly had it looking very nice

Given that we'd had a late night on Friday - and I woke up early on Saturday, I had  a nap/lie down  around 4pm or so - might even have slept a little 

Got ready around 6.30pm - and we had a bit of a photo shoot up on the veranda - November birthdays...was a bit of fun, and also a glass of bubbles

Trooped across the road for the fun to commence

I guess there were about 90 people - of our friends - the Kingower crowd ie Terry, Arlene, David, June, Damo, Nicole, Chrissie, Mark, Mel, Mal, Anne, & Mark.  Inglewood - Denise, Steve, Michael, Michelle, Pauline, Jerry, country Vic - Michelle, Rachel, Chris & Lesley, Carolyn interstate - Matt & Chris and then Melbourne friends - Karen, Susan & Mark, school friends - Darren , Gayle, Dave, and then of course family.  Given that it was Alex's party he invited a whole lot of his friends and colleagues also

I tried to take a photo of every table - but of course people were moving around

 

The party was a raging success.  Alex had certainly gone to a lot of trouble - he organised it all.  From the invitations, to the caterer, the band and a bus to transport guests between Inglewood and Bendigo

The band was pretty good too - got everyone up dancing 

And the food was likewise very good -  trays of nibbles to begin with, and then a buffet dinner spread - chicken, beef, vegie option, gravy, vegies, salad, bread rolls, and then chocolate mousse and or lemon cheesecake for dessert.  

Guests were asked to BYO alcohol, but we also supplied some. We had plenty - and actually also plenty of leftovers too

 

Also - during the evening various groups/friends wanted to come across to the house and have a look - so we did a few tours

Below is a photo of me gesturing towards our mural

The band packed up around 11.30, and the bus for Bendigo left then also

Hughie set up his decks and I asked him to play his Mum's 60th birthday playlist - he may have started on it - but progressed to less familiar songs

It was pretty much myself, Madeleine, Fraser, Hughie (of course) Penny, Amber, Martin, Nick and Pete.  Rileigh came back over at some stage and drove Pete and some of the others back to the motel  

Hughie and Martin decided to take the party back to the motel

After the party some games were played upstairs

So I guess we got to bed after 1am or so

Tried to sleep in on Sunday, but weren't really very successful - but stayed in bed and read

Had a big recovery breakfast - bacon, eggs, hash browns, mushrooms - was a bit chaotic - as I was cooking the hashbrowns on the George Foreman Grill - but they took quite a while.  Justin was doing the bacon on the BBQ, and Alex was doing the eggs in the new electric frying pan (we'd retired the one that Alex & Prue had given us years ago - as it had developed a depression in the middle) Lesley was on toast duty

I thought it was fairest if we served people in the order that they arrived - ie first in best dressed, but that us cooks would get the 2nd or 3rd sitting, so then the original eaters would cook for the original cooks 

However people were showing up at all times and expecting to be fed immediately - as I said above a bit chaotic - but we got there eventually

And then it was time for the big tidy up at the Town Hall....

Everyone came to help which was fab - had to put the tables and chairs back, vacuum and mop, not to mention take back the decorations, flowers, drinks and leftover food (gave quite a bit of the food to the cousins - as the kitchen had takeaway containers which was very helpful

Rehoused the beautiful big vases of flowers in our hallway

Justin had also attached the new brass parrot handles on the hallway doors

Justin and I also went over to Terry's place and took his wine glasses back - told him that Rory was interested in his old fridge - and given that we had the ute here - Justin ended up going back with Rory, picking up the fridge, and driving back to Ivanhoe and dropping it and Rory off 

People started heading off after this - until it was just Alex and I left

Had a bit of a nap 

We had party food leftovers for dinner ie beef, chicken, vegies etc.  We also couldn't find the Bose  remote control for the sound bar - thought one of the kids might have accidentally taken it.  And yes we looked under all of the couch cushions  

Alex left on Monday morning, and I stayed til Tuesday - as I went to the Town Hall Committee meeting on Monday night