Loddon Shire Tourism dinner - Wednesday 10th September 2025

 Just a quick overnighter 

Arrived in Inglewood around 4.30pm  or so, and Terry came and picked me up just before 5.30pm for the Quarterly Loddon Valley Tourism dinner.  He was also giving Chrissie and Nicole a lift.

This is the first time that I've been to one of these (not actually being a business) - however, because Rosemary was going to be a guest speaker, and because lots of Arts trail artists/venue people were going to be there- I thought I'd come.  Terry was there as my "plus one" as Justin obviously couldn't come, and Chrissie was there as Both Banks is displaying some photographs/paintings, and also having a book launch on the Sunday, and Nicole was her plus one as Mark couldn't come

I was also quite interested to see this venue - a huge privately owned wool shed in Sepentine -designed by Vahland (its also going to be included in the Arts Trail)

It was very imposing driving up to it - and the braziers with fire completed the look

I stupidly forgot my mobile phone at home - it was on the charger - and Terry arrived earlier than 5.30pm, so I just grabbed my puffer jacket (luckily), keys and bag - sort of thinking that my phone was in the bag

Anyway, Nicole took photos and shared them with me 

Inside it was magical - but very cold.  At first I didn't need my puffer jacket, but I eventually did, and was very glad that I had brought it

There was an open area - not in the above photos where 10 or so trestle tables were set up for dinner.  And Dave from Black Wallaby was in the corner with drinks

Then beyond this room was the bigger part of the shed - ie the sheep pens etc 

There were a lot of people I knew here ie Rachel, Denise, Steve & Emma, Catherine & Barry etc.

And chatted to lots of other people

There was an official photographer taking photos

And I was also interviewed on video.  Not sure where that's going to end up

Dinner was served buffet style in an adjoining room - barbecued meats, salads and then desserts 

Anyway, a very pleasant night 

I guess we left around 9pm 

Thursday, and I pottered around a bit, and then back to Melbourne for my Fraser Group CWA 1/2 yearly Conference which I was chairing  

Back from Canada 6 -7 September 2025

Well, it's been a while - 6 weeks since I've been to Inglewood - as Justin and I had a holiday in Canada and then a few days in Las Vegas to see his sisters.

I drove us to Inglewood on Friday night - the traffic was pretty good - and I took some pasta out of the freezer to have for dinner 

Saturday, and breakfast in bed, and I then went along the main street and put up flyers for the upcoming Merry Wives of Windsor production at the Town Hall as well as Loddon Valley Arts Trail brochures.  these had been left at our front door

I left for Dunolley around 1pm (J had a bit of work to do, so stayed at the house)

Rachel had a show on Florrie from Fitzroy

It had originally been shown in Fitzroy on her birthday, and now she was showing it in Dunolley

I saw a few people I half knew through Rachel, had a glass of complimentary bubbles and sat in the front row 

The show was great - old music hall style 

Rachel played Florrie to great effect

And there was an ensemble cast - some of whom I'd seen before

The audience was also given some lyric sheets - to sing along

Was all very fun

Afterwards, another glass of bubbles outside - and I chatted with Sue (top hat and tails) about the forthcoming G&S Garden party at our place as part of the Loddon Valley Arts Trail.  She's part of the G&S Society and will work out the nuts and bolts with me.

Drove back to Inglewood and I went and pre ordered dinner from the takeaway to be ready by 7.30pm

Drove up to Kingower around 6pm for the 1st Saturday of the month and sat around the fire and chatted.  

Justin took some great photos as per below

Left around 7.15pm to get our dinner.  Justin was surprised that the shop lights were off, but there were still some lights in the kitchen area. He thought it was closed, but I said it couldn't be as I'd ordered and paid for our dinners

Anyway, it wasn't; the door was open, and he picked up our souvlakis.  Took them home, and they were very good, but definitely not hot enough, they had obviously been made well before 7.30pm - oh well

Sunday, and Father's Day. I volunteered to make Justin breakfast, but he said not to worry about it - as I had made it yesterday, so he made it for both of us

After a very leisurely breakfast the weather was quite good, so I went out in the garden, and did a bit of weeding

And yes, the hellebores and daphne were out

I was surprised to see strawberries

And the new mulberry is looking good - but it needs some mulch

The passionfruit was looking a bit poorly - its disguised amongst all the weeds - so I got rid of them

And there are a lot of weeds in the grass - these need to be gotten rid of.  I've contacted Shane  - as one of the reasons we went with turf was to supposedly cut down on the weeds

Terry also dropped in - he'd found a myki card on the ground at Kingower - and it surprisingly had Justin's name on it - so it was returned.  Must have fallen out of his jacket pocket when he took his mobile phone out to take photos

We all had a cup of tea in the kitchen

left around 4pm or so, and came home to a lovely surprise Father's day dinner put on by the kids