Kitchen, Bees & a 50th 27 - 29 October 2023

Alex picked me up around 12, and we stopped in Kyneton for a very nice lunch at the Oaks Grill on Piper 

We'd been there before - and had haloumi chips - this time we tried the Gherkin chips - interesting, the haloumi ones were better.  And then a burger each - very nice, but took ages

Then a look in one of the art shops - Alex bought some cards, including a birthday one for Damo

I hadn't told Alex about the kitchen cabinetry being installed, wanted it to be a surprise - so he thought there was no hurry to get there - while I was itching to get there

Got there around 3.45pm, and saw Sean up the scaffold - he'd started colouring in- a lot of green and pinky purple.  I must admit I didn't like it as much - the detail had gone, and it just seemed like flat blocks of colour.  So I was a bit lacklustre in my response to his progress.  I told him a bit later, and he reassured me, it was only the 2nd stage, the detail would be put back.  I obviously don't know too much about painting

And then into the kitchen - hoorah!!! The cabinets are in, and the island bench is there

Looks fabulous 

They had also brought up the kitchen hearth surround  which had been sandblasted and then powder coated black

Then up to the IGA with  Alex to get some dinner supplies

G&Ts and some dips and biscuits out at the rotunda with Alex & Shawn.  It was a lovely evening - just chatted - until after dark

I guess I looked at the time around 8.30pm, and was rather surprised by how late it had got.  Went inside and made some simple toasties for dinner - and had them in the dining room for a simple dinner

Not sure what time Alex went to bed, but Shawn and I stayed up chatting til after 12.30am

Luckily I was able to fall asleep pretty easily, and slept well

Saturday and only a bit of my normal routine ie Wordle, Quordle and Sudoku, but not really any of the Saturday Age.  Had toast and coffee in the dining room with Alex, and Shawn got up later

Had toasties (they were a hit yesterday) for late lunch

Shawn also showed my his nifty sleep mask - has built in headphones and is blue tooth  - could be good for me 

After lunch Alex and I targeted the garden while Shawn painted inside.  

The potted yucca is flowering

 

I pulled weeds in the back/vegie garden/ around the mulberries etc - while Alex was in the orchard.

A before shot 

And a different after shot

Where Alex had pulled some weeds

Shawn meanwhile started adding gold paint to the negative spaces - and painting back in the detail

I didn't go upstairs at all this time - too much hassle with the scaffolding - Alex took some additional photos 

Anyway, back to me in the garden... I was wearing my coveralls and trusty old blue gardening hat, and was pulling some large weeds near the dining room window, no flowers there, but there were obviously some bees that I didn't see.  I disturbed a couple, and they started buzzing around close to my face, and were sort of getting stuck under my hat brim.  I tried shooing them away, threw off my hat, but I was stung, very close to my right eye, and yes it hurt.  I ran off to Alex for assistance, with a bee still buzzing around my hair...not a good feeling - but at least they weren't wasps with multiple stings

Off to the bathroom for some sting extraction by Alex- luckily I had some tweezers.  I asked Alex to take some photos for posterity 

You can see the sting near the corner of my eye - luckily it didn't sting my actual eye

And then sitting down for a while with an icepack - and had a couple of zirtec tablets 

And after that a lie down in bed - what a sook!

Got up around 5.30 and cooked up our dinner in the electric frying pan

Caramelised onions, asparagus, mushrooms, and marinaded pork loin. 

Possibly the last time I'll need to cook like that in the scullery - yay!

And then off to Damo's 50th - it was Maile's actual birthday also.  My eye had swollen up/reddened a bit, so I wore sunglasses as long as I could, and then when it was dark, didn't really matter anymore.  I did tell people what had happened though   

Damo invited Maile up the front so that we could sing her happy birthday, and they gave her a little birthday cake  

And then Damo gave a speech

Arlene had made Damo a beautiful looking birthday cake

We all had a lovely time, and left around midnight - Alex and I had to leave early on Sunday, as I had Rachel's 70th in Carnegie from midday onwards, and then Penny and Nick's engagement party in Camberwell from 2pm-5pm....

Slept well again, and up for breakfast at 8am with Alex.  Did a quick tidy up, didn't see Shawn in the morning.  My eye was still a bit bad

But nothing compared to how it was on Monday morning....it did get progressively better during the day. Strange that it gets bad overnight ....I gave Fraser a big fright - would be good for Halloween trick or treating 

 

  

Artist in residence & RA Fri 20 - Sun 22 October 2023

Drove up on Friday and had my haircut and coloured at 1pm

Then met up with Steve from the primary school, and discussed their upcoming catering for Handel's Messiah at the Town Hall - ie they will do sandwiches for the cast, and then afternoon tea for the audience.  He was very apologetic that they couldn't manage to do the dinner - this time....If they're good we'll get them to cater all the time - given the lack of interest from everyone else that I asked

Anyway, I should also add that whilst I had literally run into the house and dumped my bags, and then off for my haircut at 12.55 - I did stand in the hallway and gaze in awe at what Shawn had done so far

Yep, we literally have an artist in residence - and the mural is looking beautiful.  It's just the outlines now - he will fill in the colour once it's done.  And yes - the kangaroo, pomegranate, yabby, olives, and grapes/vines are all there -it really looks fantastic

Cam had come up earlier in the week - re the installation of the shower screen - looks really good, and works very well.  It has a sliding door to seal off the "wet area"   

Anyway, haircut done, and chat with Steve finished, I asked Shawn if he wanted to come out and see some friends - Damo & Nicole at the Kingower Surf Club.  He was keen, so I went to the IGA for supplies and we got there around 6pm

Sat out on the deck - and it was a lovely evening.  Mozzies were attacking my ankles though. Mal and Mel also came over a bit later.  We stayed til around 9pm or so ( i was tired, needed an early night)

Saturday,  and I tried out our ensuite shower for the 1st time - was great.  I had been a little concerned that it might feel a bit squashed with the screen, but it was very good, and the door glides along very easily.

And it is Terry's birthday, so I called up and asked if he wanted to come for dinner, (he did) and then back up to the butcher and IGA for supplies

Given that the eye fillet tomahawk had been so good with Madeleine and Hughie, I bought another one of those, and thought we could have vegies with it, and a nice dessert

As per last time, I browned off the meat, and then put it on a trivet in the electric frying pan to slow cook 

Mark from Restoration Australia arrived around 10.30.  Sat in the dining room and had a good chat at the start.  Then he miked myself and Shawn up and started filming - first up with me - asking for my reactions etc.  I was obviously very positive - saying that it was exactly what I wanted  

And then with Shawn - up on the scaffolding

Then I climbed up, and Mark filmed Shawn and I having a chat  etc - was fun 

Even though it was only supposed to be a quick shoot - in and out, Mark didn't leave til after 2pm - he said the editors can work out what they want to keep

Shawn and I had a quick late lunch - and then I was back to IGA to get a few further supplies for dinner

So by the time I started with dinner (apart from the slow cooking steak) it was around 4pm, and I'd told Terry 5.30-6pm - I wasn't sure if I'd make it all in time....

First up - was the dessert - a chocolate mousse with cherry ripe truffles and a berry coulis (recipe from the internet).  I barely had any bench space, what with the electric frying pan taking up valuable real estate.  My work space was about  1/2 the top of the dishwasher.  Used the blender and whisked the eggs, melted chocolate in the microwave, and then added the cream (not like my favourite Stephanie Alexander chocolate mousse recipe.  Sadly, perhaps because I was in a hurry, I didn't read the instructions properly and just added the cream, it should have been whipped, therefore it didn't set properly (still tasted nice though).  The truffles were good - whizzed up glace cherries with coconut, chilled in the fridge and then rolled in cocoa.  And the berry coulis was good too.  Then  onto the starters - my good old red dip, and a guacamole dip, and chopped up home made by the butcher cabana.  For the main vegie, snapped off the asparagus ends, and chopped the mushrooms in preparation.  Set the table nicely in the dining room, put the Moet in the fridge, and put out some red wines. Phew, made it in time - yay - as Terry came around 6pm

Had drinks and nibbles out in the rotunda - and then inside for dinner - was very pleasant - and we finished up after midnight 

Sunday, and a slow start - unfortunately I woke up too early, and so didn't get enough sleep, so was a bit "off" today

Made myself a "recovery" breakfast of eggs and proscuitto

And then had to attack the multitude of dishes in the laundry sink - as the dishwasher still isn't connected up - which is a great pity

Terry also dropped in, and we had a coffee and chat 

And I took more photos of the mural - hard to take as the scaffolding is in the way

Pomegranate

Kangaroo

Foilage

Magpie

Roses

Yabby

Monty the cat

A weird little dog - he actually painted back over this - didn't really want it

Olives

More flowers/foilage

I also sent him photos of Justin, myself, the kids and their partners, Joseph Tivey, the boat etc - for Shawn to incorporate into the negative/white space - as "easter eggs" - so we have to search out for them.  Should be fun.

Had planned on doing gardening this morning, but really didn't feel like it.  I did have a wander in the garden though - 

Admired my hippeastrum

Lots of figs

Also found a dead blue tongue in the orchard

 and a discarded lizard? skin 

Shawn had said that he wanted to buy some wine from Old Kingower/Blanche Barkly - as we'd had some at Damo's on Friday.

Given that he'd caught the train - he didn't have a car, so I said I'd give him a lift.  We drove up there, but the Winery door was closed.  However just a couple of minutes later David arrived and opened up for us, and then Maile and the other David arrived too, as well as Arlene after that.  A bit of a party....

Anyway, Shawn bought 4 bottles - he said his Dad would like it, and one bottle for his partner Sara's Dad.

Drove back to Inglewood, packed up my stuff, and left for Melbourne.  Stopped for a rest outside Gisborne - as I was tired, and then home to a takeaway fish & chips with Justin, Fraser & Rileigh