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