Stump Queen

All hail the stump Queen of Nimmitabel!  Yes, we were back again after a 2 week absence - for the weekend of 26 & 27th March 2011

Fraser had a leave of absence as he had his 1st practice footy match on the Sunday.  Jan & Peter kindly agreed to look after him for the weekend

Justin went off in the ute (I really should take a photo of this ute) to collect the 3rd Ebay bed that we had bought and the fridge that Penny and Gavin were offering us.  Well, he was able to load up the bed and mattress, but didn't think that he would have room for the fridge without potentially damaging both.  So he called P&G and suggested he come and pick it up the next weekend.


photo from Ebay

Meanwhile, I went to watch Mad play volleyball in Canterbury, (it was a very exciting draw) and then we hurried home (first dropping off Amy)

Mad and I left home around 10.30 and arrived in Inglewood at 12.30.  Justin had beaten us by about 15 minutes or so, and had thought that we would catch up - but didn't.  During the drive the weather steadily improved, it had been overcast and drizzly, and then once over the dividing range had fined up, until it was actually quite warm.

Arrived at Nimmitabel, and Justin was just showing some ladies out who he had shown around the house.  Thye had admired it from afar for a while, and were interested to see its progress, if any, after the sale.

Given that we hadn't has lunch yet, we decided to go to the bakery and had a pie each - quite nice.  The lady there had a cute young daughter who sat out the front with a very appealing puppy.  Various passerbys stopped to chat with them. 

After lunch, J and I wandered up and down the main street.  We went to one of the 2nd hand shops first and I bought Mad a crime novel by Mary Higgins Clark as she had forgotten to bring a book to read.  Then we crossed the road to the local hall (hadn't seen that open before) The RSL was having an army exhibition - old photos, uniforms etc.  I bought a couple of Anzac badges and also some meat raffle tickets (didn't win).  They were also having a sausage sizzle, half regretted our meat pies, who can resist a sausage?  Well we both did...Was a bit disappointed that the butcher wasn't open still, had seen that it was open when we went to lunch, but was closed by the time we went past afterwards.  Oh well, we'll get there one day.

Went in the shop that was selling the Inglewood pamphlets and bought a few - will read through them later.  And finally went back home.  Mad had gone home after the cafe.

Unpacked our stuff, goodies from Camberwell market the week before ie hurricane lantern, kettle, binoculars etc. Also the ebay rug,  bed, some candlesticks etc.

Then Clancy showed up on his motorbike.  He'd said that he might drop by as he was going to be in Mildura for the weekend. Showed him around a bit, and then christened the kettle by making some tea.  Unfortunately it took a rather long time, as the gas in the butane can was running out, and it took "ages" to boil.  Took the cuppas and some biscuits up to the veranda and sat, chatted,  and surveyed the lay of the land.

Elise wandered over around later in the afternoon, (on spec as she didn't really know if we would be there yet)  Unfortunately Mad had conked out and was sleeping soundly downstairs on Fraser's bed.   So Elise came up to the veranda and just hung around with us for a while - not the most interesting for her unfortunately.  

Clancy had to leave after a while - as he wanted to get back to Melbourne.  I advised Elise to go and wake M up, but she woke up by herself, and the girls disappeared off together.

I donned my now famous overalls and decided to attack the cottoneaster at the front of the house - getting the girls to capture this activity digitally (I was going to say on film, but obviously that is now so passe)  As you can see it had become a lovely sunny day.

Attacking the cottoneaster #1 

Attacking the cottoneaster #2

Given that the cottoneaster was alive, it was a bit "hard" to get out, so decided to go the easy route, and attacked an old stump nearby.  This was much easier!

Stump queen

Unfortunately for our photographers, they missed the perfect opporunity to capture a pratfall for posterity.  I had been sitting on the handle of the mattock, using my weight to jemmy out the loosened old stump #3 near the front fence.  My weight was more than sufficient for the stump, and I came down rather suddenly.  Would have been a funny photo.  They did capture me immediately afterwards.

Stump Queen down, but not out

By this stage I had defeated 2 (old) stumps and had left the live cottoneaster for tomorrow.  Started on a bit of weeding and discovered a couple of interesting  large caterpillars with 2 eye like markings .  Mad  just took a photo of the smaller brown one



Mad's hand & caterpillar



just the caterpillar


By this stage Becky had arrived,  she saw and had laughed at my ignoble fall.  - and to stop laughing any further went and helped Justin put Alex's old wardrobe together.  She had also lent us some more Inglewood pamphlets etc 

setting up #1

setting up #2

I felt I had done enough work when the clock chimed 5pm - yes the Town Hall clock chimes were working again.   So of course, up to the veranda with a bottle of white and some potato chips

relaxing Nimmitabel style #1

relaxing Nimmitabel style #2

Elise had suggested that we go to the Empire for dinner (had so far been to the Royal twice,  and the Empire only once) - so we evened the score and wandered down there for dinner.

It (luckily) wasn't as busy as last time and we easily got  a table inside.  J& I had a ranchero? schnitzel and M had a Chicken Kiev (I can't remember what B&E had)  I did want to buy some local white wine to have with dinner - but they didn't stock any.  I had thought that I'd bought a local one being Eaglehawk, but J disabused me of that belief.   The barman did however say that he would talk to Enzo (the owner) and ask him to order in some local whites. They did have some local reds though ie WaterWheel, Passing Clouds

Dinner was very pleasant, and then back to the house and the veranda.  Justin brought out his guitar and the telescope and he serenaded us by lamp/candle light while star gazing.  Unfortunately the moon wasn't out, so we just looked at some of the stars.

It's only a mobile phone camera :-telescope by starlight

our troubador

The girls meanwhile disappeared downstairs to watch Harry Potter on Mad's lap top

cinema Nimmitabel style

Also, given that it was a clear night, it did get rather cold

The next morning was also cold and clear, with a lot of dew (had gathered in a puddle in the tarp of the ute).   I tried to capture the early morning sky on my mobile - but couldn't quite get it - results not soft enough- as if I used the flash it was too harsh and without the flash a bit dark still.

Anyway, here are a few shots:-

Out the kitchen window with the flash

Out the kitchen window without the flash

out the bedroom window with the flash

 

Out the bedroom window without the flash



Walked to the IGA, bought some bacon, juice, bread etc and J & I made bacon and eggs on the BBQ.

Finished putting the wardrobe together - doors on - and also put the 3rd bed together in one of the upstairs rooms

Then back to the  cottoneaster stump for me - and yes I eventually got it all out - thus all hail the stump queen!

Actually, this is one of yesterday's stumps, but I do
look triumphant  

 

where the cottoneaster  and one of
the old stumps used to be (and some
non gold bearing quartz)


Elise arrived and wanted to go yabbying, we must have picqued her interest a couple of weeks ago, as she went yabbying last week with a friend and caught 40 yabbies in 1/2 hour!  I thought we should wait for Fraser as he would be devastated if he's missed a successful 1st venture.  Instead I took the girls for a drive to the reservoir, had a bit of a walk around - still rather full (picnic tables and chairs in the water)  Elise saw an old school friend there.  Then we drove a bit further and saw a sign to a lookout 5 minutes walk away.  Stopped to have a look.  Heard a rustle in the undergrowth, Elsie saw something low and dark, thought it was probably a wombat.  Got to the top of the hill, and there was a mound with a wooden lookout perched on top.  The lookout was blocked off by hazard tape, so couldn't climb it, but did climb up the mound.  Looked like we were surrounded by bush.  Saw the town hall tower in the distance, tried to make out our cypress but couldn't.  Next time I'll bring the binoculars and a camera (mobile phone)

Back home, as it was nearly 12 - and more weeding for me.  Gordon was there mowing the grass.  J was upstairs doing some legal work.

During our walks the girls and I had also picked up some potentially gold bearing quartz which after my success with the defenceless stumps, I attacked with the same zeal with the mattock.  Justin was rather suspicious as to what I was doing as it was making quite a bit of noise whacking the stones.  He said I was shaking the house.  That was obviously an exaggeration, as I wasn't touching the house - the girls agreed with me there.  Well, we had fun whacking, not not much (any) gold.

about to make our fortune #1

Didn't quite make our fortune

J took the girls to have some lunch at one of the cafes (hamburgers?) and I stayed behind as I wasn't hungry after our large breakfast- filled the bin with garden waste.  Also tried to get a photo of one of the large spiders in the garden - but didn't really work, you see too much of the background behind the spider.


You can see the web, and the spider is almost in the middle of the photo


 Took some shots of our more "finished" bed room



Assembled wardrobe - with Camberwell market chair



Morrocan bed in our room

new Ebay rug

And finally off home around 1.30 or so - as we had to take Fraser to his cricket presentation at 4.30.  Dropped Elise back at home, and off we went

trekking to the car