Keys of Gold with Susan & Mark - Friday 10 - Sunday 12 July 2026

Susan & Mark were able to leave Melbourne earlier than us - so Susan kindly suggested that she would organise dinner. 

Justin and I didn't leave til after 5pm - and there was the normal Friday night traffic in the tunnel and more traffic around Green Gully Road

And then for the first time EVER, I missed the Calder Alternative turn off - I was chatting with Justin and must have been just too distracted - obviously not thinking about the turn off - until Justin said - and by that stage it was too late - I'd missed it - felt so stupid...

As it was, we didn't have to go all the way into Bendigo, so it only added another 10 minutes onto our trip

Anyway, got to Inglewood after 8pm - Susan & Mark were cosy in the dining room with the heater on - and had laid out some cheese and dips etc - delicious.  And then for mains - a chicken pie with assorted vegie sides.

Lovely - didn't feel like dessert - and we all had an early night

Saturday - decided that we would have a casual breakfast - ie each have it when we felt like it 

That meant that Justin and I could have an earlier breakfast in bed - and do puzzles/read the paper etc - and then I got up at 9am and started my lunch prep

Also realised that we didn't have any hot water - so no showers (and advised Susan and Mark). Called John L in Bridgewater and asked if he could deliver a new tank sometime today, which he did - saw him as we were leaving for the concert.

Whisked up and added the wine and treacle for the Yottolenghi chicken/date/olive dish (which I had prepped at home).  

Cut up a selection of vegies ie eggplant, potato, sweet potato, capsicum, zucchini, onion etc and put them in a another roasting tray

And then put both the chicken and the vegies in the roasting oven

Walked up to St Augustine's Church around 10.30am for the concert at 11am  

Saw David out the front again - and he came and sat with us - 2nd row - as the first row appeared to have been reserved

The concert was magical - it was Vivaldi's Four Seasons with Thomas on organ and a Violinist on a baroque violin.  Mark noticed that the violin didn't have either a chin or neck pads - and the strings were gut, so it had to be retuned between seasons 

There was even an encore - which was nice

Quickly walked back to the house afterwards - as I wanted to check on the lunch - get some more things ready.

David walked with me - and brought out his esky with the chopped up lamb pieces - legs, chops, shanks etc.  He had given it to me in thanks for the concert tickets last week. They were all already frozen and bagged up, so I just put them in the freezer   

And I also put the pear crumble in the oven 

The others including Damo and Nicole arrived soon afterwards

We had cheese, pate, red dip and biscuits at the lounge end of the dining room to start off with  - and left the cheeses out when we went to the 2nd concert - as I thought we would eat them when we returned  (which we did)

And I don't mind saying that lunch was excellent

The chicken dish was a real hit (had had it before at the Danes and loved it) 

And the roast vegies on a bed of cous cous were also delicious

I thought I had made plenty of chicken - 16 thigh cutlets for the 7 of us - but they all went

David enjoyed it so much that he ate the last piece from the serving dish - as it had all the delicious juices and olives/capers/dates etc

Damo liked the name of the one of the wines - the old School House

Finished off with my pear crumble and cream.  The crumble was one of my best, as the some of the juices had caramelised, and the crumble was nice and crunchy

Walked across to the Town Hall around 2.30pm - for the 2nd concert - Bach

This time there was a baroque cello (no spike), a harpsichord and the baroque violin again - and this time Thomas and Simone were able to be in the audience

Was another lovely concert - I very much enjoyed the cello

Then back to the house - where we did indeed have more of the cheese and biscuits

I also enticed most of the cast and organisers back to the house for a drink - and we all had a rollicking good time - with ever increasing noise levels ....

Everyone had left by just after 6pm - so we the four of us had a quiet and early night - it had been a big day

Looked outside - and it was quite foggy

And below are a few photos of the dining room before I went to bed 

Had a late communal breakfast on Sunday - bacon, eggs and bloody Marys

Quite a lazy day (for me) - Susan, and David  had done quite a few of the lunch dishes yesterday - and then Susan & Justin and Mark had done a lot of Sunday also

Susan & Mark left before lunch, and Justin and I left soon afterwards