Lana and her music Labour Day Long weekend Fri 7 - Mon 10 March 2025

Left Friday night after dinner after 7pm as we didn't want to crawl through long weekend traffic.  As it was, traffic was normal.

Got there was just before 10pm, unpacked, and watched an episode of Amandaland - didn't feel like going straight to bed 

Saturday and a cheeky lie in and breakfast in bed before Lana arrived around 1pm

It was hot weather, I pulled some weeds out of the herb beds - but was hard to bend down because I was wearing my moon boot!

I forgot to take an after photo with no weeds

Anyway, got most of them out - didn't try and do the other beds in the sun

Justin sanded down the canoe

And he also took a few nice photos - the Aga

Autumnal colours

And an ode to Dali's melting clocks - this time candles 

Lana came and we had a antipasto lunch - cheese, dips, vegies etc  

Fraser and Rileigh came around 2pm - as they were planning on staying overnight

They both had a go on the drums

Terry came around for dinner

I thought an easy dinner would be best - made a red dip, and we had that and some olives and cheese, and fresh sliced tomatoes with mozzarella and basil for starters.

Then Adam Liaw's chinese style satay roast chicken salad 

Dessert was a peach melba - done with the thermomix ie poached the peaches in a sugar syrup, and whizzed up raspberries for a sauce

All very nice

We had started outside under the big tree, as it was a pleasant evening, but some of us were being bitten by mosquitoes so we went inside

Nobody wanted a big night - so we finished up around 10pm or so

Sunday, and Lana went for a walk, and so did Fraser and Rileigh separately  so Justin and I were unexpectedly able to have another breakfast in bed - hoorah!

Fraser and Rileigh left before lunch 

Lana and Justin played more music, and I read my book - was very relaxing 

Damo invited us for drinks and nibbles at the Surf Club - JJ and Susan  were there (who we went on the 80s cruise with)

Sky looked very dark and ominous as we drove up there - in fact there was a short thunderstorm with a bit of rain.

Damo toasted Justin with his big news, and I asked him which - Silk, he said, so we advised him of the bigger news - and there were bubbles all round

Stayed til around 7.30, as we needed to be back in time to get some dinner from the takeaway - as it closes at 7.45pm

Got there with 5 minutes to spare, but the lights were off, and they weren't taking any more orders - was a bit annoyed about this 

So rushed to the pub, where we were greeted with patrons saying that the internet was down, so it had to be all cash sales

The kitchen closes here at 8pm - so we were told to order NOW! - made a quick decision, I got a table, and Justin and Lana went off to the ATM to get some cash

Lana kindly shouted us dinner.  It was surprisingly quick, and pretty good.  I had the honey prawns 

Back home, and we watched About a Boy with Hugh Grant - an oldy but a goody

Another leisurely start - Lana went for a walk, and we had breakfast in bed

I planted some flower seeds

John from Quasair came to have a look at our unique problem with the kitchen chimney re an extractor fan.  He suggested coming in from the back, and took some photos and measurements.  Hopefully something can be done

Lana gave me a "concert" of her own songs -  original music and lyrics

She was in the sun originally - so was covered up

I suggested moving the keyboard out of the sun 

She left after lunch - and we left around 3 or so

Dropped in on Curtis in Guildford - to see how the old General Store that he has done up for/with his Grandma.   Looked great!

Took ages to get back home - oh well, it was good to see what Curtis had done.  And he gave us some home made pies also!

    

 

   

Tempy High Reunion #3 Thur 13 Feb - Sunday 16 Feb 2025

Whew, was so rushed on Thursday morning, wanting to get stuff organised/tidied up and then catching the train to Bendigo - fully laden down with stuff...

Justin and  were originally going to drive up on Thursday night - and he would have worked from home at Inglewood on Friday, but then he had to appear in court on Friday - so that plan went by the wayside

I didn't want to have 2 cars there - so caught the train

I also brought up some groceries for the dinners - so I had an esky and a small backpack to manoeuvre.  And it was hot - 37 degrees

I had to organise the V line ticket from Southern Cross, so had to leave earlier for that - caught an 11.50am train to Flinders St (preferred to do this than drive to a manned station)

Was on a strange external line for Bendigo - no benches to sit down, and no reserved seating on the train.  Was ok though as I nabbed a forward facing seat with plenty of legroom

Got to Inglewood close to 5pm, as the train had to go slower because of the hot/extreme weather timetable

Relaxed, cooled down, went to the IGA for some further supplies, and made the New York Cheese cake for tomorrow night's dinner

Had a cheeky takeaway hamburger for dinner 

Friday, and more cooking - pate, red dip, Vietnamese chicken salad, Thai fish cakes etc 

Also went to the butcher and bought a lovely big lamb shoulder for dinner on Saturday

Now, despite it being stinking hot on Thursday, it was a much more manageable 27 degrees today - so cooking wasn't too bad

And after all the cooking - I did some sweeping/vacuuming. Carolyn (no Tim) arrived first (around 4pm) - while I was doing this - still with my Nimmitabel apron on.   

Was finishing up when I got a call from the doctor - yep - it was confirmed I had 2 chips and a crack on my ankle - will have to wear a moon boot.....( I had injured myself back in mid December when helping Mad and Hughie to move, hadn't realised there was a step down into the lane way  - and went over badly on my left ankle, but thought it would just heal itself)

Anyway, we soon adjourned to the rotunda where we enjoyed a restorative glass of bubbles

Darren ( who had had surgery on his hand) and Gail arrived soon afterwards, followed by Dave, (no Natalie) and Will (no Derek), and lastly by Justin who arrived around 6.30pm.  Greg (no Tori) was coming on Saturday.  We were supposed to be 14 for the weekend, but there were some late pull outs - so dinner on Friday was 7 of us (me, Justin, Darren & Gail, Carolyn, Dave & Will), and dinner on Saturday was 9 of us - those 7 plus Greg and Wayne.  

And of course further bottles of bubbles had been brought out and consumed

I guess we went inside around 7pm, and I organised the main course - the Vietnamese Chicken salad and the Thai fish cakes (didn't have nibbles, had some pistacchios outside with the drinks)

Finishing up with the New York style cheesecake - which was a bit sloppy for some reason

Wayne and Helen showed up some time later (they're staying at the hotel)

Ended up in the rotunda again for a few hours - and then back inside because it was getting a bit cool - it was quite windy. A great night!

Not too late a night - but late enough

Suggested an 8.30 breakfast catch up - just simple ie toast/cereal.  

Breakfast took a while, as guests took a while to emerge.

A walk was suggested, so we went to Bridgewater, and Carolyn and I went to the swimming hole - on platypus watch - sadly none. While Darren, Gail and Will went for a longer walk 

The corellas were extremely noisy, was pleasant by the river despite this

 Came back and organised the lamb shoulder for slow cooking in the aga

And then had some lunch under the big tree

While we were at the river - Dave had perused our cellar, and found an ancient bottle of Brown Brothers 1993 muscat

It actually wasn't too bad!  Had thought it might be vinegar -as the cork was looking a little sorry

After lunch went and had a nap (I had taken a while to fall asleep last night, and then woken up much too early)

Got up around 4.30pm - and went up to the music room - where Justin, Wayne and Dave were having a bit of a jam

And then back downstairs to continue with the dinner preparation, watermelon/fetta canapes, tuna/cucumber canapes, peach crumble, roast potatoes/carrot/parsnip etc 

Greg showed up around then

Had starters in the dining room - pate, red dip, and those 2 x canapes.  Dave was very effusive in his praise  

Main course was a triumph - the lamb was delicious

And another very good night was had by all

Greg broke out a Japanese rather smoky whisky, and I introduced them to my Fab Spiced Sloe gin.  Both bottles were emptied by the end of the night

Wayne somehow fell off his chair (both chair and Wayne were fine)

I went to bed around 1.15am - was the last woman standing - leaving Dave, Greg, Darren, Wayne and  Will still up.  Luckily I fell asleep quite quickly, but could still hear the occasional shout/music etc 

Wayne and Greg were the last men standing - and left around 5.30 in the morning  - going back to the motel.  This is the first pretty much all nighter that we've had at Inglewood

Below is the dining table the morning after

 

Around 9.42 am while I was sitting in the kitchen having a coffee (no one else had emerged at that stage) we received a group whatsapp asking if the motel keys had been seen.  I had seen some keys on the table when I'd taken the earlier photo, but hadn't looked too closely at them.  And yes, it was the motel key, plus some car keys

Wayne was then going to run over here, pick up the key, and then check out - all before 10am - check out time.  This was never going to work - as he undoubtedly would have still been way over the limit - and so couldn't drive back

I volunteered to drive the key up to him - much easier and safer.  

Did so, and took Wayne & Helen back to our place (where their car was)

Had more welcome coffees out in the rotunda  

 

And Greg also showed up again and played guitar

Most of our guests left before lunch - Justin and I pottered around - tidied up etc 

I did notice that more plants had died ....about 6 of the gardenias - not happy - as the sprayer obviously isn't watering those end plants