Fur & pearls dinner party 9 and 10 September 2017

This has been a long time coming, I'd wanted to do it last year, but we had to cancel it, so here we are Take #2!  Yep, my fabulous fur dinner party, plagiarised from a favourite aunt & uncle of Justin's who had also had a fur party years ago in a cold and draughty boat builders shed in Docklands

Justin and I got up there around 11.30 on Saturday, so stopped in at the op shop to see if they might have some type of "manly' fur product, as he didn't want to drape the fur stole that I had around his shoulders.  They didn't.  Also tried to get some Inglewood pork for our neighbour George, but they were all out.

Came back and had some left over pizza for lunch.

Then I went and started weeding the front path.  Lots of calendulas and freesias in the path.  Given that I like freesias so much, I kept quite a few of them, and replanted them elsewhere, was fiddly and time consuming

Karen, Mark, Jo & Bob - plus of course Moby, arrived just before 3pm.

Gave Bob and Jo a tour of the house and garden, and then they had a walk around town, and I continued in the garden.

A bloke in a late model merc stopped to have a chat and ask about the house.  He'd done up lots of old houses like this in Melbourne, and also an old sandstone place in Sorrento, and loved them.  Was on his way to Mildura to visit his Mum

Anyway, after this I went inside - around 4pm to start peeling potatoes and carrots etc for dinner

The others came back while I was doing this, and asked if they could help.  Got Karen and Jo to set the table, and Karen made a simple salad.

Put the pork and potatoes in the oven around 5pm

Went and changed into a dress and Jan's mink - felt very luxurious.

Initially into the upstairs room.   Karen and Jo also had minks - la de da - aren't we.  Jo's husband Bob had her leopard coat, Mark had a sheepskin jacket, and Justin was unfortunately fur-less, but looked very smart with his Inglewood yacht club tie

But my plan had been to have nibbles and drinks on the veranda, so we moved out there.  Maile and David arrived soon afterwards - Maile in a very heavy black astrakaan coat, and David with a fur collar.  I think that Bob looked the best, or at least the most eccentric, as that leopard coat certainly made a statement!

Jo had brought a nice cheese and grape platter, I cut up the last of our home made salami, and we had  some other bits and pieces and of course champagne and prosecco.

Was very pleasant and fun up there - I tried to get a photo of Bob with the champagne cork in full flight, but couldn't quite manage

Maile just had to pat Bob

Justin enjoyed the champagne (as did I)

 A good time had by all

I then tried to get Justin to take a photo of me  - with the champagne cork in full flight, but with a mobile phone taking the photos, it was a bit tricky

Went back inside around 7 or so - and of course the pork and potatoes were just perfect.  I did the carrots in the microwave, but not for long enough - were still a bit crunchy!

However, of course - the dinner was a great success - Justin at one end of the table, me at the other

Moby helped with the washing up - trying to lick clean the roast potato dish

And then bedtime for Moby - made himself quite comfy...

After dinner went upstairs  and played a bit of music which was also fun.

And then back downstairs to the dining room and the welcome fire again.

Unfortunately I was tired, so went to bed around 11.30 or so (had been awake since around 5am).  I didn't want the party to come to an end because of that, but they didn't stay up much longer.  That said, I must have fallen asleep very quickly, because I didn't hear Justin come to bed, nor any other noises...

We all had a welcome sleep in on the Sunday, and emerged around 8.30am.  had a simple toast/juice/coffee brekafast outside - was glorious and sunny

And then went for a quick walk to the old eucy distillery with the rusted out tanks and pipes etc by the dam that Karen and I had yabbied in a couple of years ago.  Saw the horses on the way there

The others left after this,as Jo and Bob had a lunch to get to in Melbourne.  I did some more gardening, we had a leftover antipasto/cheese lunch outside, it was nice and sunny and reasonably warm

Helen's birthday weekend Friday 1 Sep - Sunday 3 September 2017

Helen thought she'd make a mini break of it, and went up on Thursday night.  I was a bit tired, and had work to do, so went up on Friday morning after tidying up/washing/housework - always takes longer than you think, so I didn't leave til around 11

Helen had made puff pastry pizzas for lunch.  They'd had their lunch already (she likes to eat very early, according to me), but Xavier had saved some of his lunch to eat with me outside under the tree.

Was a bit cool and windy - but reasonably sunny

After lunch we drove to Bald Hill - outside of Kingower, as both Terry and Nicole had told us about it, how it was like Melville's Caves, but without all the people, and you had a 360 degree view etc

Drove out past the Kingower School House, and kept going, following the signs.  Helen drove rather slowly, as was in her new car, and it has a relatively low under carriage.  Scraped a few times, so pulled over and stopped, and walked the rest of the way.

The plan was to have a picnic afternoon tea.  She'd bought a Swiss roll, and we'd also brought a thermos for tea.

Climbed up the hill, and found a spot to sit - with a fairly good view

But then we kept walking, as there was another hill ahead of that one - couldn't really see it from where we were initially.

Anyway, the 2nd hill was much better, and it did have the 360 degree view, and some lovely grass to sit on too.

Also by this stage the sun had triumphed, and there was lovely blue sky.  And the wind had died down.

Walked back to the car, (took about 1/2 hour), drove off carefully, and saw Damo and Nicole arriving at the School House.  Went in to say hello, and they showed Helen and the kids the school house, the surf club, and the vegie garden.  Nicole had said they had just dropped in to our place with a condolence note re Justin's dad.

Back home 5ish - and we went up to the veranda and had some biscuits and dips etc

The original plan had been to have the pizzas that I'd brought from Melbourne for dinner, but the kids were very keen to go to the pub, so Helen did rock/paper scissors with them, and they won.

Went to the pub, they had fish, and I had a lamb shank with mash - very nice.

Back home and put the kids to bed, and Helen and I watched Austin Powers - an oldie but a goodie, with a nice open fire upstairs.  Was rather cold in the house, so we definitely needed the fire.

An early night, so I watched another Monarch of the Glen in bed with my trusty hot water bottle

Saturday, and it was Helen's birthday.  We'd already been shopping for supplies the day before.  So she/we had croissants and freshly squeezed orange juice for breakfast.   I gave her the tiger eye ball that we'd bought in Dubai, which she liked.

Was a rather cold and blustery day, went up to the Op Shop, across to the butcher, Denise's etc - and also lots of scootering around - which the kids enjoyed.  I also finally finished organising the dvds - hooray!

Went back up to Kingower to pay Arlene for the wine I'd bought before our trip, and to also get a case of cleanskins.  Dropped in on Terry on the way back, had a coffee and chat.

Back home for lunch which was Helen's favourite :- tuna, corn, mayo, spring onion sandwiches - outside again under the tree

Was still pretty cold, did a bit more scootering, but was drizzling, so not that pleasant.  Had wanted to scooter to Bridgewater, but we don't think that the bike path is up and running as yet.

So, went upstairs and watched the 2nd Austin Powers dvd - I half watched, as I was also reading the Age online.

The kids also played with a Huski puppy out the front, which they thought was very cute
'

Given that it was the 1st Saturday of the month, we went up to Kingower at 6pm - for the regular monthly shindig.  Maile & David were the only ones there, sitting, waiting in their car, as it was cold!  The braziers were there, and filled with wood, but not lit, and no one had a match (actually I had matches, but was keeping mum on that, as I had got Helen a birthday cake and candles, sparklers etc and was going to bring it later later with a flourish)  I also discovered that I didn't have an operational cigarette lighter in my car.  No matter, Damo & Nicole came over soon enough, and soon had them lit.  Terry, Dermott & kids, Arlene & June came over soon after this.

So stood around the fires soaking in the warmth, chatting, having a drink, and munching on twisties (I'd bought a monster party pack).  Very convivial.  I brought out the cake, and gave the kids the sparklers, and we sang happy birthday.  No surprises, but Xavier was mucking around with burning sticks and the sparklers and ended up getting a little bit burnt on his finger.  Hopefully that should teach him not to play with fire.

I guess we left here after 8pm or so, and Helen drove back carefully.  Saw at least 5 dead kangaroos on the road, but luckily no live ones.

Helen put the kids to bed, and had an early night herself.  So I went to bed too, hot water bottle in tow, and more Monarch of the Glen.

Sunday was Father's Day - and I had a  sleep in.  Helen was keeping Xavier relatively quiet.  I got out of bed around 8.20, and went into the kitchen to find that Helen and Xavier were making Michaela and I breakfast in bed - which was very nice.  Michaela came and joined me, and Xavier was also keen to get in on the act

Jamie came and picked us up at 10am - as Helen is interested in buying some land around here.  He showed us 3 x properties - Wet Lane which was 20 acres - but a bit dull and flat, and then Kurting which was nice with views of Mt Koorong, and bush behind and a couple of horses on it - which galloped up very close to us - the 2nd photo is taken out the back window of Jamie's ute - and you can see the ute tray, and the horse just about on top of it

Lastly, there was another Kurting property which had creek access and also a little shed which could with a stretch be lived in - or at least Helen thought so.  No electricity, no water, drop box toilet etc.  And, none of these properties were zoned for building a house.  Jamie had been discussing this with the council for some time

Helen liked the last one best, and was keen to put in an offer well below the asking price, but within her comfort zone.  This last property had 70 acres, and could be used for share cropping cereals etc.  I suggested lavender and sunflowers to her later like Provence, and she liked this idea a  lot.  I also cautioned her, as I didn't want to see her putting all her eggs in one basket, particulalry if she wouldn't be able to build there.

However, that is all academic now, as the quasi offer was rejected, it was just too low.

So, back to the house, some more scooting, and more pizza lunch under the tree.  Also picked three jars worth of the small wild olives from the tree next to the house, as it's still loaded

Helen & kids left after lunch, and I tidied up a bit and then left also - so that I could make Justin a nice Father's day dinner - "Turducken burgers" from a recipe that I'd seen in the Age.  turned out pretty well - minced turkey meat, chopped up chicken thigh fillets and duck breast, and then a sour dough and bacon baked sauce.  Was pretty fiddly, if I did it again, I'd simplify it.