Well, as I said, Mum and Helen & kids came up on Sunday afternoon after Alison had left. The kids were excited to be here again, and especially thrilled to see the new addition of the cubby house.
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| A Juliet balcony? |
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| Mum gets in on the act #1 |
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| Mum gets in on the act #2 |
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| Stormy skies and bright sunshine |
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| wrapping up |
Given that I didn't do any work while Alison was up, I was determined get a few things done during this week.
First up was tidying up the iris beds out the front. The outer leaves had become scrappy and brown, and it just looked very messy.
So I donned overalls and gloves and got down to it - with a little bit of help from my main assistant Xavier
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| Xavier weighing down the leaves #1 |
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| Xavier weighing down the leaves #2 |
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| a before shot |
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| part way through |
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| Michaela & I posing |
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| pretty much finished |
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| after shot #1 |
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| after shot #2 |
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| after shot #3 |
There were a few days between starting and finishing due to weather constraints.
I had also brought up quite a few plants. I had propagated some roses last Winter from prunings, I also had some other roses and box hedges from our old garden in Tooronga Road, and lastly some bird of paradise and cordias from neighbours. I planted all of these out - under Mum's watchful supervision. Luckily before the rain, so they got a good soaking over the next 2 days.
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| bird of paradise and cordias from Melbourne neighbours |
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| one lot of roses and box hedges |
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| and the rest of them |
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proposed planting spots
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poor little cumquat - you can hardly see it,
something has eaten all the leaves |
Mum also planted a small fig for me - which had self propagated in one of my pots
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| Mum & Xavier planting the fig |
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| Xavier and Michaela tending the new fig |
There was also some civic progress - Storm Lane had been paved - so hopefully less dust
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| good looking road |
And there was a planning notice outside the Town Hall re the proposed renovation
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| Planning notice |
Another interesting point to the renovation was that we have been asked if we might like some of the palm trees that need to be removed from the Town Hall to make way for the extension. Not that we're necessarily going to get them, rather it was an idea, and we were asked if we were interested, Now the powers that be have to decide if they want to give them to us, or else make other plans. We'd gladly take them, but would not be disappointed if we missed out either.
~ ~ ~ ~
As always, we ate well and often....
Visited Jim at the butcher and bought some of his new pies - the beef and burgundy and lamb shank varieties - both of which were excellent
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| Jim making the pies |
Helen wondered if they would also have vegetarian pies, but I skoffed, and said not likely in a butcher shop! Jim heard us, and said he could make some, and what did she want? How's that for service! We suggested mushroom, onion, garlic and red wine. And true to his word, Jim made some for the next day, and Helen was mightily impressed.
One night Helen made us natchos for dinner :-
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| serving up the natchos |
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| natchos close up |
She also made a lemon cake
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| making the cake |
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| enjoying the cake |
A special morning tea to celebrate Xavier's 3rd birthday - with his friend Archie from the pool
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| birthday celebrations #1 |
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| birthday celebrations #2 |
And his actual birthday breakfast on Sunday - French toast with blueberries and bananas
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| French toast close up |
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| Xavier and his French toast |
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| Michaela and her French toast |
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| Combined French toast |
We had a rather good fish & chip lunch in Dunolly, followed by an afternoon tea a few hours later
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| Dunolly fish & chips |
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| afternoon tea in Dunolly #1 |
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| afternoon tea in Dunolly #2 |
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| afternoon tea in Dunolly #3 |
Dinner at the Empire - with our favourite the Outback parma
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| Outback parma with vegies |
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| an offside selfie at the Empire |
Another night I made us pizza
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| Dishing up the pizza |
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| one of the pizzas |
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| another one |
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the kids keeping me company (and playing with moths)
while I watch the pizzas #1 |
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the kids keeping me company (and playing with moths)
while I watch the pizzas #2 |
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the kids keeping me company (and playing with moths)
while I watch the pizzas #3 |
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Michaela looking thoughtful
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| Xavier looking expectant (for pizza?) |
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| another bad selfie |
Another dinner was roast chicken - with some vegies from the garden
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| Mum dissecting the chicken |
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| Mum serving up the chicken |
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| nicely set table |
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| garden harvest #1 |
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| garden harvest #2 |
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| garden harvest #3 |
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| garden harvest #4 |
The kids were also adept at getting food in the supermarket
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| 2 x smily hams |
I made my now expected breads and jams - a couple of mixed plum batches, and a peach jam
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| Mystery plum jam on crusty bread |
But there were also some unfortunate foodie misfires - mainly burning. We burned the pies when we heated them up, our morning tea pizza oven scones were over-browned, and some Anzac biscuits that I'd made burned at the bottom, and under cooked on top! (won't do them again in the pizza oven). And finally, the WORST coffee that we have ever had the misfortune to drink. To be fair, the barista was a not the regular server, but the coffees really were woeful. They were barely tepid, and barely coffee, more lukewarm milk with some instant coffee waved over it. Not hot enough, no froth (they were cappucinos) and no taste! A triptych fail! And the kid's babycinos weren't much better. Luckily Helen had wandered in and stopped the server putting actual coffee in the cups, but as per our coffees, their's were just lukewarm milk, no froth. Even the kids commented that it was just milk Anyway, obviously I'm not naming names, but I will have a gentle chat with the regular barista and advise that business may be lessened if these types of coffees continue.
Surprisingly enough, we did do other things apart from just eating. One day we went to Dunolly for a look around (and yes, we had fish & chips and an afternoon tea), and continued onto Maryborough for further sightseeing. I was quite taken by the Queen Victoria plaque at the Dunolly Town Hall - very enthusiastic monarchists in those days. Justin would also be tickled by the Gilbert and Sullivan festival - I know the poster is for last year, but apparently there will be another one this year, and same for the Ute show (derivation of the the Deni Muster?)
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| Queen Victoria plaque |
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| Gilbert and Sullivan festival |
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| Dunolly Ute show |
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| a seemingly random column |
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| a strange brick protuberance - what is it? |
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| The famous Maryborough train station |
We also had 2 days of constant drizzly rain - which stopped me gardening, but was very welcome in the garden. When I was there last week there was a glimmer of green, but now there are great swathes of green weeds masquerading as lawn. It looks rather nice, after the dessicating Summer browns
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| this emerald isle? #1 |
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| this emerald isle #2 |
We hosted a morning tea for 2 charming cravatted gentlemen from Wedderburn. Yes, it was more food (the aforementioned over-browned scones), but it was also a "working" morning tea, as these were the gentlemen who I had mentioned previously regarding a business proposition for Nimmitabel. Basically they were proposing exclusive dinners and open days/garden parties to help Nimmitabel pay its way. Not sure what Justin would think about this, actually he probably wouldn't like it, but I'd be prepared to give it a go at least once. Nothing ventured nothing gained....
Anyway, the blokes were charming, and quite the raconteurs, and even came bearing gifts :- Wedderburn chutney, local olive soap & walnuts, and chocolates. After the scones and tea were finished, a surprise bottle of sweetish white wine in a lovely blue bottle was produced with a theatrical flourish. I was told that I had invited them for "elevenses" ( I had), and that at elevenses - you always need to have a little drink of something. I never knew that...I always thought the sun had to be over the "yard arm" somewhere at least. Anyway, the wine was rather pleasant, and not surprisingly we didn't have lunch that day
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| Elevenses #1 |
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| Elevenses #2 |
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| Elevenses #3 |
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| Elevenses #4 |
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| Finishing off wine |
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| closeup |
I was also pleased to receive another card from the lovely Jean who had sent me a Christmas card, and my hard working Mum volunteered to polish up my battered silver collection, possibly because we'd embarrassed ourselves earlier using tarnished silver for our elevenses morning tea
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| polishing the silver |
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| looks quite a haul (but is really just all silver plated) |
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| bowl close up |
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| tray close up |
Mum and I also continued with her ipad lessons, and the below photo is her taking a photo of the ceiling with her ipad - as opposed to slacking off in bed...
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| a good way to take a photo |
In the evenings Mum, Helen and I watched movies on our big screen in the dining room ( I fell asleep for 2 of them), and the kids also watched a couple of matinees on Helen's laptop
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| engrossed in the movie |
I also managed to get the tv working upstairs - so that we could watch Downton Abbey. I was rather pleased with myself, but did have to call Justin first, as I couldn't seem to find the channels. Then, more out of good luck than skill, after pressing several buttons randomly, I was able to find the local tv stations
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| ta- da :- success |
Helen was interested in a cubby house for her kids back in Melbourne, and had some unsuccessful Ebay bids. However, serendipidy stepped in, in the form of Passing Clouds Jill. Helen had seen her at The Blue Eucy Cafe, and Xavier was getting very excited about the big trucks This then prompted Jill to ask if Helen would be interested in a digger for Xavier, and then she remembered that she also had a cubby house, and trampoline that was surplus to needs at her place. Helen was thrilled. We went and had a look at them, and Jill's son-in law kindly disassembled the cubby ready for us to pick it up in the ute at a later date
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| Helen's future cubby house #1 |
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| Helen's future cubby house - side view |
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| starting the disassembly #1 |
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| starting the dis-assembly #2 |
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| almost finished the dis-assembly |
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| the gift trampoline - Fraser is keen on this |
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| gift trampoline with Michaela |
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| gift digger and wheelbarrow |
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| Xavier on the digger #1 |
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| Xavier on the digger #2 |
Xavier also liked playing with empty cardboard boxes - much like our cat Basil. with these he could be a robot , while Michaela perfected her I'm a little teapot stance
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| I'm a robot #1 |
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| I'm a robot #2 |
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| Robot challenged by teapot |
Also like Basil, Xavier enjoyed playing on the stairs - actually these holidays he enjoyed following me around, wanting to help and work
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| The Everest of stairs |
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| distracted by the photographer |
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| hamming it up a little |
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| action shot |
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| what is he doing? |
But it wasn't all fun and games, as there was also the occasional bed wetting incident - unfortunately during our few days of rain, which made the drying of the sheets after washing problematic.
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| washing required |
Luckily we were able to access the local laundromat come RACV service as Michael kindly dried the sheets etc for us, and even delivered them back to us. This was the day that we'd been to Dunolly. He also provided a valuable RACV service a couple of days later as Mum's car had a flat battery, and he came and removed the battery, put it on a charger, and then put it back for us. Fabulous!!! We were very grateful.
Helen experimented with some selfies also
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| Helen selfie |
And I took some shots of her and the kids - as it's harder for her to get family shots
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| Doing Michaela's hair |
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| Mother daughter bonding #1 |
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Mother daughter bonding #2
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| Love that pole |
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| family of 3 #1 |
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| family of 3 #2 |
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| family of 3 #3 |
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| family of 3 #4 |
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| family of 3 with Oma #1 |
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| family of 3 with Oma #2 |
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| Give us a kiss #1 |
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| Give us a kiss #2 |
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| Birthday sparklers #1 |
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| Birthday sparklers #2 |
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| Birthday sparklers #3 |
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| About to blow out the birthday candles #1 |
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| Have blown out the birthday candles |
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| Helen solo |
