Queen's birthday weekend 11-13th June 2016

The first really cold weekend of the year there.....

Yep,  you're so cold that when getting dressed, you can't stand your freezing hands touching your warm trunk.

Anyway,  I got there early Saturday morning, I didn't want to drive on Friday night again, and Justin arrived from Ballarat mid morning.

Steven had called me up earlier in the week saying that a magpie was loose and frantic in the house. We were so lucky that he had noticed, well in fact one of his friends had.  There was a group of them with their motor bikes parked out the front, and the friend had noticed the bird, and mentioned it to Steven.. He called me, and we organised the key for him to let it out.

Luckily, not too much of a mess, a bit of bird poo around the house.  We figured it had come down the kitchen chimney. as there was lots of  coal on the hearth and floor.

coal on the floor

coal on the hearth and hotplates

bird poo on the chair

Outside, and the grass was even greener if that's possible, and it's now "lumpy" as some weeds grow faster than others - you sort of have to wade through the weeds now.  I was treading down paths on the way to Gordon's trailer with bucket loads of weeds that I had pulled out.

It was cold, but it was reasonably sunny, but still very damp everywhere.  Had nice warm toasties for lunch to warm up - very civilised

weeds from the veranda

weeds on the ground #1

weeds on the ground #2

So, I weeded, and Justin painted the new green room - I still haven't seen it - since the initial viewing where I didn't like it.  Some people from Rheola dropped by - Marie who had been to the open day last year.  Was wondering if we were having another one, as some of her colleagues were coming to Inglewood in the next few weeks and would have loved to have a look.  We couldn't make it then, but showed Marie, her husband Ian and their 2 friends around (beat the weeding).  I told them that I couldn't show them the Lime Parfait room though (but Justin could).  They thought it looked, or would look quite good though , that I had "nothing to worry about"

This is a before shot of what I had to contend with weeds wise

there is a path and bricks under there

Maile and David had also dropped by, and invited us for Prosecco that afternoon around 5pm. Finished up the weeding 4.30ish and had a lovely hot shower - maybe stayed under there a bit too long, but I was cold, and the hot shower was so nice...

So had our prosecco and some cheeses with Maile and David, inside this time, and then went onto Terry's for dinner.  David & Arlene, and Damien, Nicole & Jerry were there.  Terry made us a superb French inspired meal.  Creamy cauliflower soup, prawns in garlic butter sauce,  beef bourguignon,  mashed potato & greens, and pear poached in red wine with creme anglais.  Just marvellous.

Late-ish night, and a bit of a sleep in - I just love those block out curtains (Justin less so, as he doesn't like to sleep in a completely black room, and unfortunately I do.

Was cold overnight with a frost

Frosty grass

frosty car

Some hot porridge for breakfast - stirred on the stove.  Warmed us up.

Justin enjoying some porridge

Justin had also started up a fire as you can see in the background.  To warm us up, but also to warm up the paint before he started painting, as I guess it was too thick and cold to easily paint with.

 And back to more weeding and painting

Before

After

another after

But Spring is in the air, despite it being barely Winter - with some hardy blossoms coming out

prunis blossoms

jonquil nearly coming out

 Justin took a break from painting and planed off the shed door, which had expanded in the cold/wet

planing man

Had brought up some bits and pieces this trip ie a couple of cane chairs from Karen and Mark for the veranda - which go very nicely, and also a microwave oven which had been Karen's Dad's.  That will be very handy

new veranda chairs

And George had given us a couple of shrubs - which were surplus to his needs

bit hard to identify the new shrub in there - but I know it's there

After working in the garden for the day, I needed more warming up and cleaning in that order.  Given that we weren't going out, I had a nice long bath.  Yes I know the bath isn't much to look at (neither is the bathroom).  But, we have instant hot water, and I soaked in there for a good 45 minutes or so, just storing up the heat, and reading the weekend papers

We didn't really feel like that much for dinner, so organised ourselves a "picnic" dinner of cheeses, biscuits, nuts, tomatoes, olives etc which we ate while watching some movies :- Valkerie followed by
Devil.  I remained warm after my bath, but Justin was a bit on the chilly side

Justin enjoying his picnic dinner #1

Justin enjoying his picnic dinner #2

 
I was nice and toasty in my dinosaur one-sie after my bath

me in my one-sie

More frost overnight, and more porridge for breakfast

frosty weeds

Hot pies for lunch out the front

pies and coffee afterwards for lunch

 The Lime Parfait room is nearly finished, - it takes longer than anticipated of course.  Justin says he'll finish it up next time, so I'll be able to see it then, and re-set it up as a bedroom.  Hoorah!