Kings Birthday weekend Friday 6 - Monday 9th June 2025

Kings Birthday weekend - and what a good one it was 

Alex had asked us a while back if we were going to be in Inglewood this weekend, and wondered if he and Jane could come too

And then advised that he and Jane were going to stop for dinner in Kyneton at Fook Shing and then stay the night at the funky motel down the road.

I twisted Justin's arm to do that also

We had also been invited to Echuca for a day from Chris E - to see his Steam "nerd" friends and what they got up too

So we did both 

Given that it was a long weekend - I didn't want to leave early - as there would be traffic - so thought that we would leave around  6pm - but we looked at Google Maps - and it didn't look too bad, so we left around 5.15

Was terrible weather - pouring rain - I drove Justin's car, but the traffic was ok

Got to Kyneton about 6.50pm, and checked into the Kyneton Springs Motel - which had been done up in a Palm Springs 60s vibe

Obviously the below photo is from their website - it was dark and rainy when we got there

I'd booked us a "suite" and I guess I was expecting 2 rooms - it was one room and a bathroom - nicely done up - but not what I would consider a suite.  Alex and Jane had booked the same type and  had said they wondered what a "room" would look like

Once again this is a stock photo - but our room/suite did look like that

I took this photo - thought it was cute to have an image of an old tv on a new tv

Unpacked a bit, and then grabbed our umbrellas and  walked across the road to Fook Shing - once again another stock shot

We were early - around 7.15pm, we could have gone straight to our table - but thought we'd sit in a lounge area and have a cocktail - delicious - and we were by ourselves - so it was like a private area for us 

Once we'd finished our drinks we went to our table - central booth area - and ordered the feed me menu - delicious yet again

Given that we were staying the night in Kyneton - no one had to drive - so we had a few bottles of wine with dinner - all very pleasant

Finished up and walked back to the motel - it was not only wet, but very cold.  Prior to this we had been enjoying an Indian Summer - it was rather mild - but today was bitterly cold.  We turned our electric blankets on, and the manager had told us to keep the heater on overnight too   

Saturday morning - and Justin went to charge the car, and he also picked me up a danish and a coffee for breakfast

We left for Echuca around 10, and got there around 11.30 or so - it was still raining  - but stopped before we got to Echuca

Wasn't sure what to expect - but didn't expect what we saw...

It was a huge compound - lots of rough sheds, some train tracks, train engines, carriages, many weird steam engines, and lots of junk - oh and 5 or so peacocks strutting around 

We had advised Chris of our approximate arrival, so he was waiting for us, and showed us around/introduced us to some people

Below are a whole heap of photos taken by myself and Justin

Chris also introduced us to Lesley the Matriarch - and she said that Justin looked familiar - turned out she recognised him from Restoration Australia (I must admit I was a little miffed that I wasn't recognised, as I had a more prominent role ...oh well)

So, we stayed an hour or so and then into Echuca to charge the car a bit more before heading onto Inglewood

Got to Echuca, and there was only one working charger - and the car on it was at about 10% - so we weren't going to stick around

We made it back to Inglewood with I think just under 20%, and the public charger there wasn't working either, so we put it in our garage to slow charge

Alex and Jane were already there - and had very kindly offered to make dinner - who was I to say no?

They went off to the shop to get supplies and Justin and I unpacked and relaxed a bit 

Had some drinks and nibbles in the kitchen.  I made up some mulled wine - which Jane and I drank.  The weather was so miserable so it was just perfect to have a warm drink.  Justin and Alex abstained - they had non mulled wine (they missed out)

Dinner was in the dining room - a delicious apricot chicken, and then a peach crumble 

Didn't stay up the late, and had a leisurely start to Sunday.  

Justin and I had breakfast in bed, and then continued to do our quizzes, read the Saturday Age - didn't have to "entertain" family - so very relaxing 

Had yummy Aga toasties for lunch in the kitchen 

After lunch Justin dropped Jane and I at Old Kingower as they were having an open day in conjunction with Both Banks who were having their annual wine release

Before we left I dug out some gum boots for us both as it was still quite rainy and therefore muddy

It was surprisingly busy at Old Kingower - lots of people in the little tasting room area where Terry was serving wine from behind the counter, and also lots of people in the "storage" area where 12 wines ranging from 2001? were set up with tasting notes.  Arlene had also made up some delicious food 

Jane and I had a great old time chatting with all sorts of people - including a guy who had just bought the old pub in Tarnagulla.  He used to be a chef, and so might reopen (fingers crossed)

We also chatted with Mark C who has the WineBank in Bendigo - they have occasional special dinners so Jane and I might go to one, and stay at their accommodation - would be fun

So stayed here a while, and then wandered across to Both Banks

Given that I had my gum boots - I thought I'd splash around a bit in the puddles

Got to Both Banks and chatted with some new people

At both places - people told me that they'd seen our program...(so my self esteem went up a nocth after having been bruised at the Steam rally yesterday) 

Carole and Geoff kindly gave us a lift home - so we didn't have to call Justin

April and her boyfriend were at the house when we arrived 

We had roast pork and vegies, and a pea risotto for April for dinner - which I'd organised earlier  - and some more mulled wine 

On Monday morning Jane and I went to the Bridgewater Nursery and I bought a bare rooted Medlar (had seen and admired a Medlar in a lovely Tasmanian National Trust estate with Susan and Mark last year) and a couple of blueberry plants 

I planted the medlar in the "heritage" orchard

 And planted the blueberries in the herb garden (where I'd taken out the chillis).  I figure that blueberries should be frost tolerant (didn't take a photo of them)

I also planted the dwarf mulberry that I'd bought a few weeks ago in the orchard

But first had to bail out of lot of rain water from the ring

And then add some soil which I pinched from various garden pots without plants 

Alex and Jane left early- ish on Monday as they wanted to avoid the long weekend traffic 

Justin took a lovely photo of the back garden - I think on the Monday - as the previous two days were too wet and miserable for this

and also a photo of my jonquils in water

We pottered around and left for Melbourne around 5pm - just normal traffic, so happy days 

  

 

 

 

Quasair again and Suzy & Stu 23-25 May 2025

Left on Friday afternoon around 3.30pm - and it took us 3 hours to get to Inglewood.  I thought it was an aberration when I got a lift with Christine a few weeks ago - but I think leaving at this time is now too problematic with school pick ups etc 

Anyway, got there around 6.30 - and it was dark - so Justin couldn't see the grass yet

Jason the Quasair guy was coming around 10.30 on Saturday morning.  John K from Quasair had organised for him to come up and have a look - work  it out

He seemed to think it was doable - coming in from the back

He took measurements, and said they would build a prototype out of cardboard and come back and make sure that it fits

We would also need to get an electrician to come back and connect up, and to also put a control switch on the wall.

And also possibly a plumber to move the hot water service

Anyway, it's looking possible - I'm assuming that they would need to customise a unit for us, and that it would be very expensive....

After they left, we went in the garden and had a look around

There had obviously been some frost - with my chilli plants badly effected

 
I subsequently moved them to the herb bed in front of the house - as the plants there didn't seem effected.  

Let's hope they survive - as they look pretty bedraggled - apparently you're not supposed to cut off the frost burnt leaves - so I left them looking pretty sorry

But, speaking of survival, that poppy that Helen brought me at Easter has survived - and had sent out some new tentative shoots.  The original fronds had died down - so I did think it was a goner

We also got Shane to come around - to help us set up the new watering app on our phones.  Upgraded to a 12 station - finally got it working.  We were going around and around in circles, and then Shane suggested that we try something else - and that worked.  Had also tried googling it - but no help there

I had also brought up some more plants that I had bought at Botanica at Rippon Lea, and some passionfruit plants from Bunnings - so I planted the Rippon Lea plants and placed the passionfruit in front of the garage (Shane said he'd plant them after they put the REO up)

The jonquils were looking lovely

And the cosmos had put on another burst

I put the lamb shoulder in the oven around 12 - to slow cook, and prepped the potatoes and pumpkin

Susie, Stu and their kids - Bridie & Riley arrived after 3pm.  Showed them around (as they hadn't been here in many years)

Justin and Susie struck a pose in the kitchen

Started with some nibbles around 5pm on the veranda

Served up dinner around 7.30

The kids went off to bed soon after dinner, and the rest of us also had a relatively early night

Justin programmed the lawn sprinklers for the morning - didn't want to do it overnight in case there was a frost

The only thing was that the water pressure in the house went down while the tanks were filling - oh well, at least we know, I had initially thought there might be a leak somewhere

Bridie drew and picture each for myself and Justin - so we proudly displayed them on the mantlepiece

Drove up to Melvilles Caves and had a look around.  Was a lovely clear day - sunny, a little cool, kids liked it a lot

They left from there, and we went back to the house 

I planted some more of the new plants ie a droopy looking rhubarb (discounted at Bunnings)

Some carrot seedlings

And was pleased to see some of my vegie seeds had started to come up

I was also pleased to see that the jonquil bulb shoots had grown - I put them in the window for more light

Had some lunch, did the dishes etc and drove to Sutton Grange to pick up the olive oil - only one large  container.  John said there was water in the larger olives.

I asked him if there was anything we could do to increase the oil rate - and he said to give them a good water at bud burst, and then to stop watering them around 4 weeks before picking.

We'll try that for next time