DC Gals and no Helen & co Fri 4th - Wed 9th July 2025

As always, it took me longer than anticipated to leave Melbourne for Inglewood on Friday

George helped me load up the aloe veras - as they were too big to put in the cabin - and we put the net on top

I was having my old Data Connection gals up for the weekend - they hadn't been there before - but had seen the show 

Linda and Nancy were coming up, unfortunately Lisa couldn't make it 

Linda said she was planning on leaving around 1.30pm, and so anticipated arriving around 4pm - allowing time to get lost 

I barely got there before Linda at 3.30pm... 

Had just unpacked the car and put stuff in the fridge 

Gave her a very quick tour, and we went up to the veranda and waited for Nancy to arrive 

Nancy arrived, and I gave them both the "tour", and put Linda in the red room, and Nancy in the green room

We also walked up to the pub to check it out - as we were planning on having dinner there tomorrow night - and I wanted them to see what it was like - manage their expectations...

We went in the front bar and ended up staying for a few drinks - Kahlua and milk. Saw a few people that I knew - we had fun, and stayed for about an hour.

Went back to the house - and Linda brought out a delicious plater of cheeses, meats, biscuits etc which she had brought up - and we had some bubbles to go with it in the kitchen

It was all a bit too delicious and too much of it - so we didn't feel like any of the dinner that she had brought - we just grazed on all of this - including some of my pate which Linda loved

So, a relatively early night and a slow start on Saturday

Staggered breakfast in the kitchen - I had kept the aga and heater on overnight - so it was nice and warm in there  

The Quasair people and Chris's brickies that he recommended came at 11am to measure up again - and to bring the cardboard model to check that it would fit

And then outside to see how many bricks needed to be removed and where the hot water service would need to be moved to

Terry and Peter the brickies thought that the back wall looked a bit like a dog's breakfast - with electric cables, water pipes all over the place. - so we'll try and tidy that up also

Basically what we're going to do is remove 2 or 3 courses of bricks at the back there, and insert the rectangular rangehood from the back.  The fan and engine will be outside on the back wall - which is why the hot water service will need to be moved. (unfortunately the plumber and electrician couldn't be here at the same time - so I've only spoken to them about it)

Terry & Peter will need to put a lintel - to support the brick hole - and they'll also repoint the bricks there at the back.  Coincidentally Terry also knew David P and Stuart B who did the previous rendering/plastering

Anyway, once they left, the gals and I went up the street, and had a wander through the shops

Found a wooden canoe oar at Denis' that I thought Justin might be interested in (he wasn't)

And a couple of candle wall sconces

An anchor

And surprisingly some more wooden canoe oars at Fuss Pots  - but we left them too

 
Back to the house for some late lunch - Aga cheese, ham and pickle toasties - yum

And because it was such a beautiful day we went to Melville Caves after lunch and I was surprised to see quite a few kangaroos there

Came back and sat on the veranda and had some afternoon tea - but not too much as we wanted to be hungry for dinner

Because they had been  saying how much they liked open fires - I decided to set one up in the dining room

Justin had taught me years ago how to set a fire - and it was very successful

Had a few drinks in front of it before dinner

Linda had also given me a lovely fire irons set - from her auntie's place in Tassie - she knew if would go well here

And yes, we had Linda's delicious massaman beef curry and Indian carrot and rice fritters - yum

I also put a lot of candles around the room  - and of course we all look more beautiful by candle light

Luckily we went to Melville Caves yesterday, as Sunday was overcast and dreary

We stayed inside and played some cards after breakfast - which was a lot of fun

And then the gals packed up, and we went to the Bridgewater Pub for lunch - which Nancy generously shouted us 

They then continued on to Melbourne, and I went back to the house, as Helen and Michaela were coming tomorrow 

I did some tidying up - including in the cellar where a bottle had popped (some time ago) ...red wine dripping onto the spare bathroom tiles  

it was from a very old bottle of port - 1981!

I also did some vacuuming and mopping etc 

 

And of course some more gardening - planted those aloe veras from George

 

As it was, Helen and Michaela didn't come - as Michaela had a bad cough - and felt like staying home

I stayed til Wednesday, had a coffee with Pauline one morning and another with Terry another morning, and did lots of gardening/tidying up

Generally stayed out til around 5pm, by which time I was pretty cold, so came inside to have a nice hot bath 

Also responded to the postcard and letter that we had received because of Restoration Australia - sent them our Nimmitabel postcards. In also picked up a new Inglewood brochure from the Post Office 

The plumber also came on Wednesday morning - and I showed him what needed to be done re the hot water service.  Also got Terry the brickie on the phone so they could talk to each other 

Saw this new brochure with a lovely photo of  David & Arlene

Also saw this brochure re Enzo's karaoke night

Took a photo of the new King Charles 3rd sign on the Royal Hotel

 And a photo of the jonquils and the flowers that Nancy had given me  

Left for Melbourne on Wednesday afternoon 

 

  

Just ourselves Fri 27 - Sun 29 June 2025

Hmm, our Scottish neighbours Val and George were supposed to be coming up this weekend

They hadn't been for ages, and had organised for Fraser & Rileigh to look after their dog Ziggy for the weekend

However late on Wednesday night/Thursday morning - Justin started to feel nauseous, and was then actually sick.  So he didn't go into work on Thursday

Friday he felt fine, and went into work, however he wanted me to advise the neighbours that he had had gastro symptoms in case they didn't want to come (Val works with children - and they could be more susceptible)

Anyway, Val still said yes, but then no, as George had suddenly also become sick 

The original plan had been for me to go to Inglewood with them around 2pm - for an early start, with Justin to follow after work.

As they say, the best laid plans....

So Justin and I still went around 3.30pm

Traffic was ok, and we got there about 5.45 or so.  

Found a postcard under the door

It was from a lady who had watched Restoration Australia  - she also appreciates cooking/entertaining and postcards - how lovely of her 

Went to the IGA to buy some dinner ingredients - fresh salmon, broccolini, tomatoes

However, Justin wasn't really that hungry for dinner - just had a few mouthfuls of salmon, so was still possibly NQR

So we had an early night

A now traditional slow start to the morning - avocado with vegemite on toast  for breakfast, coffee, our quizzes and the Saturday Age.  Very relaxing, made all the better with the split system heater on - as it's pretty cold there now

Aga toasties for lunch - and then out in the garden for me - filled the bin again with those bloody bridal creeper clumpy roots.  We don't have Gordon's trailer there anymore - so I'm using the regular bin for garden waste

Took a photo of the blueberries - obviously not frost effected 

I stayed out til around 5pm, and I was starting to get cold.  So a nice hot bath for me - and Justin brought me in a G&T  

Justin was feeling a bit better - so we lashed out and had takeaway for dinner which he picked up

More of the same on Sunday

A before and after shot of the weeding 

And Justin took a nice photo of a lorikeet from the kitchen

So, a very low key, relaxing weekend 

  

 

Kings Birthday weekend Friday 6 - Monday 9th June 2025

Kings Birthday weekend - and what a good one it was 

Alex had asked us a while back if we were going to be in Inglewood this weekend, and wondered if he and Jane could come too

And then advised that he and Jane were going to stop for dinner in Kyneton at Fook Shing and then stay the night at the funky motel down the road.

I twisted Justin's arm to do that also

We had also been invited to Echuca for a day from Chris E - to see his Steam "nerd" friends and what they got up too

So we did both 

Given that it was a long weekend - I didn't want to leave early - as there would be traffic - so thought that we would leave around  6pm - but we looked at Google Maps - and it didn't look too bad, so we left around 5.15

Was terrible weather - pouring rain - I drove Justin's car, but the traffic was ok

Got to Kyneton about 6.50pm, and checked into the Kyneton Springs Motel - which had been done up in a Palm Springs 60s vibe

Obviously the below photo is from their website - it was dark and rainy when we got there

I'd booked us a "suite" and I guess I was expecting 2 rooms - it was one room and a bathroom - nicely done up - but not what I would consider a suite.  Alex and Jane had booked the same type and  had said they wondered what a "room" would look like

Once again this is a stock photo - but our room/suite did look like that

I took this photo - thought it was cute to have an image of an old tv on a new tv

Unpacked a bit, and then grabbed our umbrellas and  walked across the road to Fook Shing - once again another stock shot

We were early - around 7.15pm, we could have gone straight to our table - but thought we'd sit in a lounge area and have a cocktail - delicious - and we were by ourselves - so it was like a private area for us 

Once we'd finished our drinks we went to our table - central booth area - and ordered the feed me menu - delicious yet again

Given that we were staying the night in Kyneton - no one had to drive - so we had a few bottles of wine with dinner - all very pleasant

Finished up and walked back to the motel - it was not only wet, but very cold.  Prior to this we had been enjoying an Indian Summer - it was rather mild - but today was bitterly cold.  We turned our electric blankets on, and the manager had told us to keep the heater on overnight too   

Saturday morning - and Justin went to charge the car, and he also picked me up a danish and a coffee for breakfast

We left for Echuca around 10, and got there around 11.30 or so - it was still raining  - but stopped before we got to Echuca

Wasn't sure what to expect - but didn't expect what we saw...

It was a huge compound - lots of rough sheds, some train tracks, train engines, carriages, many weird steam engines, and lots of junk - oh and 5 or so peacocks strutting around 

We had advised Chris of our approximate arrival, so he was waiting for us, and showed us around/introduced us to some people

Below are a whole heap of photos taken by myself and Justin

Chris also introduced us to Lesley the Matriarch - and she said that Justin looked familiar - turned out she recognised him from Restoration Australia (I must admit I was a little miffed that I wasn't recognised, as I had a more prominent role ...oh well)

So, we stayed an hour or so and then into Echuca to charge the car a bit more before heading onto Inglewood

Got to Echuca, and there was only one working charger - and the car on it was at about 10% - so we weren't going to stick around

We made it back to Inglewood with I think just under 20%, and the public charger there wasn't working either, so we put it in our garage to slow charge

Alex and Jane were already there - and had very kindly offered to make dinner - who was I to say no?

They went off to the shop to get supplies and Justin and I unpacked and relaxed a bit 

Had some drinks and nibbles in the kitchen.  I made up some mulled wine - which Jane and I drank.  The weather was so miserable so it was just perfect to have a warm drink.  Justin and Alex abstained - they had non mulled wine (they missed out)

Dinner was in the dining room - a delicious apricot chicken, and then a peach crumble 

Didn't stay up the late, and had a leisurely start to Sunday.  

Justin and I had breakfast in bed, and then continued to do our quizzes, read the Saturday Age - didn't have to "entertain" family - so very relaxing 

Had yummy Aga toasties for lunch in the kitchen 

After lunch Justin dropped Jane and I at Old Kingower as they were having an open day in conjunction with Both Banks who were having their annual wine release

Before we left I dug out some gum boots for us both as it was still quite rainy and therefore muddy

It was surprisingly busy at Old Kingower - lots of people in the little tasting room area where Terry was serving wine from behind the counter, and also lots of people in the "storage" area where 12 wines ranging from 2001? were set up with tasting notes.  Arlene had also made up some delicious food 

Jane and I had a great old time chatting with all sorts of people - including a guy who had just bought the old pub in Tarnagulla.  He used to be a chef, and so might reopen (fingers crossed)

We also chatted with Mark C who has the WineBank in Bendigo - they have occasional special dinners so Jane and I might go to one, and stay at their accommodation - would be fun

So stayed here a while, and then wandered across to Both Banks

Given that I had my gum boots - I thought I'd splash around a bit in the puddles

Got to Both Banks and chatted with some new people

At both places - people told me that they'd seen our program...(so my self esteem went up a nocth after having been bruised at the Steam rally yesterday) 

Carole and Geoff kindly gave us a lift home - so we didn't have to call Justin

April and her boyfriend were at the house when we arrived 

We had roast pork and vegies, and a pea risotto for April for dinner - which I'd organised earlier  - and some more mulled wine 

On Monday morning Jane and I went to the Bridgewater Nursery and I bought a bare rooted Medlar (had seen and admired a Medlar in a lovely Tasmanian National Trust estate with Susan and Mark last year) and a couple of blueberry plants 

I planted the medlar in the "heritage" orchard

 And planted the blueberries in the herb garden (where I'd taken out the chillis).  I figure that blueberries should be frost tolerant (didn't take a photo of them)

I also planted the dwarf mulberry that I'd bought a few weeks ago in the orchard

But first had to bail out of lot of rain water from the ring

And then add some soil which I pinched from various garden pots without plants 

Alex and Jane left early- ish on Monday as they wanted to avoid the long weekend traffic 

Justin took a lovely photo of the back garden - I think on the Monday - as the previous two days were too wet and miserable for this

and also a photo of my jonquils in water

We pottered around and left for Melbourne around 5pm - just normal traffic, so happy days