Anzac Day Long weekend, and I had organised to have my haircut by the fabulous Michelle at MGM in Inglewood.
Given that the appointment was for 10.30 on Saturday morning, and that Justin didn't feel like driving up on the Friday night, I decided to catch the 6.24pm train from Southern Cross after work.
It worked a treat, I firstly rang up V Line to see if I could use my myki card, and yes I could, and I also reserved a seat while I was at it. ( I found out later that there was a 1st class carriage, nobody mentioned that to me, I would have liked to take it, maybe next time)
Bought some sushi for dinner, and caught the train from Flinders Street the one stop to Southern Cross.
Southern Cross Station photo from the internet
Found my seat in Carriage B - and settled down doing the Friday Age Tough, and then the Thursday Age diabolical sudokus on the 2 hour trip. The train conductor growled at me a bit, said I needed a paper ticket for a reserved seat, but I said they didn't tell me that at the VLine contact centre (they didn't, just said that quoting the reservation number would be sufficient) Anyway, got to Bendigo around 8.30pm and then caught the connecting V-Line coach to Inglewood at 8.45. I must admit that I was a little worried in case I missed the connection. Was already working out that I could call Damo & Nicole if stuck in Bendigo, or see if I could catch an Uber out to Inglewood etc. As it was, the connection was seamless - although I was a bit cross that I had to shell out some more money for the coach ticket ($5). I thought that the myki ticket should have covered it all.
Anyway, arrived in Inglewood around 9.30, and watched a couple of Monarch of the Glen episodes which I had on dvd - a much bigger renovation project than ours!
Saturday morning, and I pottered around a bit, went and organised a smoked brisket dinner with Jim the butcher, and also got rid of those pesky sliding kitchen cupboard doors next to the window. I had previously put some of the electrical appliances in there, and we had to keep moving the doors - to access different appliances, quite a nuisance.
the before shot with those pesky sliding doors
Got me a tool to lever ( Justin, note this tool was not a chisel) off the running/sliding track
levering off the track
Levered off the tracks quite easily - aren't I clever!
tracks
one of the doors off the tracks
now without doors - hoorah
now organised with electrical appliances and tea/coffee
and finally the banished 3 x windows in the scullery
And then went and had my haircut, and was as always very pleased with the result.
Justin showed up during the cut - and went back to the house to organise sandwiches for lunch. I also got to chatting with another lady getting her haircut there - and somehow got to talking about our spare fridge. And yes, she subsequently took it off our hands for her daughter - we were thrilled!
Kim came and got the fridge in the later afternoon, and of course Justin had to make sure it was nice and clean before hand
cleaning the fridge
So we can walk around freely in the kitchen again - good!
Watered the garden a bit, including the poor yuccas out the front, and then up to the veranda for some pre dinner nibbles and drinks. Given the lovely weather indulged in an unseasonal G&T.
G&T for me - with my new haircut
Jim arrived with our smoked brisket around 6.15. I spied him walking up from our eyrie on the veranda. We had also put some potatoes and carrots in the oven to roast
Roast vegies
Stayed up on the veranda a bit longer as Justin was serenading me with his guitar, and Jim said the brisket would keep good and warm for at least 1/2 hour.
many layers of foil over the brisket
a blurry photo of Justin serving up the vegies
the brisket revealed
about to be cut
my dinner plate
When we were ready we went back downstairs, served up the dinner and went and ate it in the dining room with a cheeky bottle of local red (actually it might have been a Spanish red ).'
The brisket was lovely - very tender and tasty, terrific with horseradish and English mustard. So a lovely dinner, and then we watched a rather confusing film - "71" about the "troubles" in Northern Ireland. It was the eternal question, we weren't sure who was with who, who was double crossing who, some of the actors looked similar, long floppy brown hair and Zapata mustaches, and then the thick Irish brogues didn't help matters either. I was somewhat scathing (but maybe because I didn't really get it) of the film and Justin apologetic (feel free to dispute this Justin), but he did say that it had got good write ups. A shockingly boring Icelandic film called Rams had also received glowing reviews - but my sister and I were both numbed into oblivion by the soporific experience of that film - so you can't necessarily trust reviews!
Sunday, and leisurely breakfast outside in the sun. Cool, but lovely in the autumn sun.
After breakfast did some watering, and Justin decided that he wanted to fix up the cubby house as there were some rotten weatherboards
Taking out the old #1
taking out the old #2
just need painting now
Justin also did some more oiling of the fence posts, and I organised more of the dvds.
I then helped out with the oiling too, as it was such a beautiful day, too good to be inside.
oiling the wooden part of the fence
oiling the wooden part of the fence
And I planted that small nectarine tree that I'd bought from Noi a couple of months ago, and which Denise had been minding so she could water it, and it wouldn't die in the heat of the Summer. I replaced a plum tree which had died
dead plum tree
new nectarine tree
Dinner was a repeat of last night (there was plenty of brisket) and we made up some new roast vegies
And Anzac Day breakfast on the Monday was outside also - once again a beautiful day - reading the electronic papers.
breakfast in pjs
Of course, I had to make some Anzac biscuits, and then we went to the Anzac Day march in Brooke Street, followed by the service at the War Memorial
service at the War Memorial #1
service at the War Memorial #2
Back to the house around 12, and we finally put up those Victorian light shades that I'd bought. Perhaps a bit big for the light fitting - only afterwards I thought they could go on the front downstairs lights, but they were such a nuisance to put up, we might leave them there for a while.
glass light fittings in situ
And back home again, with the tanker spill hole getting bigger
Had some friends (with guitars) around for a fab dinner on Friday night, so drove up to Inglewood on Saturday.
Started off in the morning, but first had to go to East Melbourne to assist with moving some furniture ( the ute is a blessing and a curse), then briefly back home, and then onto Greensborough to pick up a fridge that used to belong to Karen's Dad.
Finally got into Inglewood early afternoon.
The road into town was still 1/2 blocked off due to the tanker rollover from a few days ago.
blocked off road
And the yuccas which had stood so tall and proud when I planted them a week ago, looked a bit floppy and sad now
poor floppy yucca
We had to stake a few of the sadder/floppier ones. Justin wielded the hammer like mighty Thor (maybe a bit of an exaggeration), and the hammer strikes echoed off the Fire Brigade building down the road, which was quite uncanny. I did some loud hand claps, and they echoed also. Later when he was staking and hammering another one, it echoed off the toilet block at the Town Hall
staking
And, we also had to move the fridge. Steve came and ably assisted. I just took the photos and wasn't much use. Was a very tight fit through the back door. quite a bit of manoeuvring was required. Luckily Steve is very used to this sort of thing.
Bye Bye old fridge - hope we can find you a new home
thank goodness for trolleys
1st try
2nd try
Justin behind the fridge fiddling with the cords
in place and looking good
So, it's a fab new fridge for us, and we're trying to give away the other one, not too much luck as yet.
Still no luck for me and the curtains in our room either, I did have the brilliant idea to put the new curtain rod and curtains in the green room, and take the Green room curtains into our room. However when Justin had a look at the fancy pelmet baubles he thought they were too fragile to disturb, so I'm still without blockout curtains in our room (do have thin/lacy type curtains though)
delicate fancy pelmet baubles
Had G&Ts on the veranda - with a nice sunset
G&T veranda sunset
Went to the Royal for dinner - as the Thai kitchen is now open. Was rather good and quick too.
Had chicken satay and then a red curry. Very fresh and fragrant - so will go back
Royal chicken satay
Given that we'd been served so quickly, we were out before 8.30, so walked home and watched Stealing Beauty - an old favourite. Loved those Tuscan Hills
Watered the garden the next morning - and saw that one of the fence rails on the back fence had broken. Luckily Justin knew how to fix it. Bought a metal plate thingy with nails in it - and joined the two broken pieces together. Will hopefully work, and keep solid
fixed bit of fence
Also dropped in on Samuel at the old Railway Hotel. He fixes up electronics etc, and Justin had an sentimental old amplifier that crackled and popped. Samuel will have a look at it and see if he can fix it. Also had a wander around the refurbished Railway buildings. (I've looked at them before, actually the 1st time I went to Samuel's). The rooms look great - but they're all empty, what a waste.
Some of the palms along the way had lots of little palms growing underneath them. Haven't seen that before
baby palms
Went to the Empire for a fish and chip lunch. Haven't been there for ages. Chatted a bit with Ros and Enzo, told him that we'd heard him on the radio regarding the tanker crash.
Went back home and tidied up a bit, and then back to Melbourne
Also picked all of my clingstone peaches
my clingstone peaches
And bottled them back in Melbourne (how CWA of me!)
Justin took some more photos of the crash site on the way back
I was originally going to bring Mum up, as she hasn't been here for a while, but her leg was hurting, so she decided to stay home.
That said, I'd told both Terry and Helen & kids that I was coming - so come I did ....
Got up there around 10am on Saturday morning, unpacked the car, and then drove on up to Kingower with Helen and the kids where we assisted Terry, Arlene, Jan & Chrissie make up antipasto platters for the Music night. Was as always a bit of fun, and scored a superb coffee from Terry also.
Only took a couple of hours - was one of the more modest food prep days, as the purpose of tonight's evening was the music, with a supper (the antipasto platter, dips and cakes )
So went back to the house, and we felt like pies for lunch - which we ate under the tree, and Helen relaxed and read her book there afterwards
book reading after lunch
And the kids played by the cubby house on the rope ladder
Meanwhile I was raring to go, and get some things done. Now I wasn't going to paint - as we haven't actually decided on the colour of the so called Blue room.
But our dear friends Karen & Mark had brought up some Yucca cuttings when they'd been up for the Australia Day Long weekend - Mark had planted 1 or 2, by the back fence, but we still had plenty.
So, I had a cunning plan, some work gloves, and a post hole digger....
And out the front I went - it was initially relatively easy going through the mulch, but then I hit pebbles and very hard compacted dirt....It wasn't easy, but luckily not as back breaking as when we put the olives in some years ago
And of course Xavier also wanted to help
I did one side of the new front fence - planting one per section of fence. From memory 6 on the left and 5 on the right.
I was starting to get blisters - despite the gloves, so made a stop, and started watering the plants...with Michaela, Xavier and Helen helping with that
Once we'd finished this it was veranda time - with a long Gin and tonic - ah lovely...
Then some whistling practice - we are in the country after all
And then onto the Village Green in Kingower for 7.30pm. Of course a lovely night - how couldn't it be? No Justin playing this time though (unfortunately). Sat at a table with Damo & Nicole, and Maile & David. Helen, David & Arlene's daughter sang and played a little, Mark did a few acapella songs with another bloke, The Kingower Rangers powered on, a couple of kids played the flute and trumpet respectively, there was a yukele band and duo, and of course David also got up with his fancy new guitar
Sunday morning, and had a bit of a lie in, not sleeping, rather just reading in bed, was very nice. Then got up and had breakfast, and then watered the garden some more. It's very dry.
But the olives are looking fantastic
gorgeous looking olives
And then I had to (wanted to) do the other side of the fence with the yuccas. By the time I'd finished my hands were pretty sore, with blisters developing
thumb blister
In the few days between Easter and now the electricians had come back and attached some more stuff to the external wall.
electrical developments
And although not strictly from when I was up there. Inglewood was in the news yesterday/today as a tanker had rolled over coming around the bend on the Calder and spilled its fuel. It was rather serious with people having to be evacuated, and those who remained told to remain inside due to fumes.
We're planning on going up again this weekend, so will see what its like - will hopefully have all be cleared away by then
A blackout may have contributed to a petrol tanker crash in a Victorian town that closed roads and cut power.
Emergency crews worked into Thursday afternoon to right a petrol tanker and contain a 50,000-litre fuel leak after the truck went out of control on a bend and slid on its side into a power pole in Inglewood, near Bendigo, on Wednesday night.
As the situation was given the all-clear on Thursday evening, the Calder Highway was re-opened to one lane through the town and power had been restored to most residents.
Power had gone out in Inglewood about 5pm on Wednesday because of storm activity.
Pauline Wellman, who works at the local motel and caravan park where many people evacuated to, said the town was in darkness.
"The electricity was out hours and hours before the truck hit the pole, so the town was in absolute pitch blackness last night," she told AAP on Thursday.
"You come off the fastest road and into the town and I would say that the town being dark wouldn't have helped the truck navigate the bend."
Police at the scene also told reporters the town was pitch black, and the driver crashed where the speed went from 100km/h to 60km/h.
The Country Fire Authority (CFA) said 28 people were evacuated from their homes at the height of the incident.
Most residents had power restored by 4.30pm on Thursday, but a handful did not get power back until 10pm, as Powercor worked to restore the original fault.
The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) said the fuel spread up to 1.5km from the crash site and soil was used to stop it flowing into a creek.
"We will work to remove the contamination and it's most likely that will be through excavation," the EPA's Danny Childs told AAP on Thursday.
"We need to scope out the extent of the contamination but these sort of clean-ups take a matter of weeks."
About 28,000 litres of fuel had been removed from a drain, and pumping would continue on Friday.
The truck's driver was admitted to hospital with minor injuries and a woman from a house nearby was taken to hospital after falling ill, an ambulance spokesman said.
The truck was towed away from the crash site shortly after 2pm on Thursday.
Local police are investigating the crash, but the resources of the Heavy Vehicle Unit could be used, a police spokeswoman said.
