Rachel at last, and Mum's weekend 22- 25 August 2019

Weeding, and more weeding on the Thursday

But downed tools at 5pm, as I'd invited Rachel (from Dunolly) and Maile and David to come over for drinks and nibbles on the veranda

It was a lovely clear and blue afternoon - with lashings of prosecco and G&Ts

Maile and David left around 6.30, as they were having dinner at the pub with other friends.  They invited us to come along also, however we weren't that hungry after our nibbles, so stayed and chatted.  Did move inside though, as the clear night made it cold

And yes a light frost in the morning again

A lazy start on Friday morning, a quick breakfast, and some more weeding.  Also admired a couple of Icelandic poppies in bloom

Quince was in bud

And lots of other flowers/plants coming up too

In fact the garden was starting to look very nice again - especially with the grass cut!

Went and had my hair cut and coloured by Michelle at 1pm

And then waited on the veranda for the Mum's to arrive.  Yep, I'd invited Madeleine's friend's Mums up to Inglewood, and 2 of them were coming.  So while Madeleine and her 6 friends were traipsing around Europe and Morocco, 2 of the Mums and me were going to have fun in Inglewood 

They had said they were leaving Melbourne around 2pm, so I thought they might get here around 4.30.  However, they mistakenly went via Bendigo, so it was well after 5pm when they arrived

Cathy was surprised by the house, Nikki wasn't, as she'd googled the address.  Showed them around, and they also gave me some unexpected presents - a lovely woolen beanie and a scented candle 

And then of course some drinks and nibbles on the veranda - like yesterday, except different people

   

And then onto the Royal for dinner - where Margie once again welcomed me/us warmly.  We were a little cold from sitting outside, so re-arranged some tables and chairs right in front of the fireplace to warm up - lovely 

Margie took a couple of photos of us also, photo bombing the last one

 

Other people were playing songs on the jukebox, and one of my old favourites - The Devil went down to Georgia came on. So of course I sang along to it, much to the Mum's (and some of the other patron's surprise/delight/horror?)  

So, had a good time here, and then on for a "pub crawl" to the Empire.  All was going swimmingly until Nikki's foot slipped off her stool rest, and she pitched forward, with the contents of her glass of red wine similarly pitching forward onto unlucky me - all over my stripey top and orange jacket

And of course it was red wine, not white, so that was the end of the evening at the Empire, we bid a hasty retreat, I rinsed and then washed those tops (no stain, yay), changed into my comical crocodile onesy, and we went back outside and sat on the veranda and chatted  some more - was a bit cold, but a lovely clear evening

Saturday, and Nikki had said that she would be up early - around 6am - she wasn't!  I texted her around 8am to see if she still wanted to go for a walk - she did, so we did after a warming cup of tea. And we left Cathy in bed (had sent her a text asking if she wanted to join us though)

Veered left at the Aboretum and walked through the scrub.  Normally veer right.  Saw a couple of kangaroos, and eventually ended up on the Tarnagulla Road.  Was momentarily confused, but worked it out soon enough, and back down Storm Lane where Nikki met Snowy

Back to the house for breakfast.  It was a still a lovely day, sunny and clear - although the weather forecast has said it would rain.

Given this forecast, I suggested that we go to Melville Caves to make the most of the fine and clear weather

And it was perfect!

Stayed a while, enjoying "the serenity" and then back to Inglewood and the butcher quickly (closes at 1pm now) to buy some pork for tonight, and then onto Waterwheel in Bridgewater to visit a winery.  I'd called both Arlene and Mark, but only got  voicemail, and didn't bother with a message, so didn't know if they were around to go to their wineries )

Anyway, Rosemary was there at Waterwheel, and she provided some very congenial tastings, so we of course bought up big. 

She also asked how I went with my CWA weekend.  I was surprised that she'd heard of it, and that she'd associated me with Nimmitabel.  She said she almost came as an honorary CWA lady, pity she didn't 

 And then onto the Bridgewater Hotel for lunch

The weather was still glorious so we sat outside and moved a table and chairs into the sun

The food was rather good too

Back to Inglewood and my guests were keen to watch the football on Foxtel, so they went to the pub, and I went back to the house and read the Age online in the garden - was sunny at first, but it did start to cloud up, and got a bit windy.

The gals came back later in the afternoon, and I set up the fire upstairs, and we had some more drinks and nibbles on the veranda.  And given that we'd all had a late and large lunch, we didn't really feel like having the pork that I'd bought - the nibbles were enough.

Got a bit cold and windy, so inside for our fire.  Started to watch one of the Bad Moms movies (Christmas special) on Netflix, but we didn't think much of it, so turned it off

Chatted, and then a relatively early night for all of us 

Sunday morning, and it was bright and blue again - so breakfast outside

  

Terry also dropped in as we were finishing up - to discuss the upcoming music night 

The gals left mid morning, and they were perfect guests, and a lot of fun.  I donned the coveralls for some more weeding, and got stuck into it, until it was time to leave for Melbourne 

  

Bare rooted plants and more weeding 12 -13 August 2019

Had a quick visit, as I had bought some bare rooted fruit trees from the Inglewood hub, and they had been delivered late last week, so they had to get into the ground as a soon as possible

Arrived at Inglewood early afternoon, Gordon was there on his ride on mower battling the weeds, as they had become very wild and unruly.

In fact he couldn't get too near the trees -as he couldn't see where the brick surrounds were

Anyway, I said a quick hello, he finished up, I got changed into my trusty coveralls and got planting.  I'd bought a couple (more) cumquats (the others have all died), a mandarin, a blood orange, a guava, and a three type pear.  Kim also gave me a box of canna lilies

Had to do some significant weeding in the orchard where I was planting the guava and pear

I also decided I would remove the dead mirror tree, and put the mandarin there.  So I got back to old tricks of using the mattock and then rocking out the stump

It was hot and sweaty work despite it being quite cold

The sun came out later in the afternoon and was casting quite nice light

Finished up around 6pm, and had got cold again, as I was back to weeding.

Indulged myself with a bath picnic - cheese, biscuits wine (in a plastic cup), and warmed up nicely.  Had a little bit of dinner and watched a documentary on the Royals on SBS on regular tv.  I can't remember the last time I've watched normal free to air....its generally catch up

Then back down to my room, watched a Monarch of the Glen, and then read - nice and cosy, am loving those panel heaters

Tuesday, and a slow start, read the online Age in bed, did the sudoku etc.  Had also turned the heater on in the kitchen, so it was warmish for my breakfast.

Then out and weeding again by 9.30. Started in the orchard and weeded around most of the trees (not the 2 almonds at the back)

And filled up Gordon's trailer.

And somehow lost a pair of Mum's old scissors which I'd had in my coveralls pocket - hope I find them again

Also weeded more around the vegie garden and also out the front, and also did some trimming. I was pretty stiff by the time I finished.  And this time I was wearing gloves, but my hands still got grimy through them.

More almond blossoms also

I also thought the garden looked nice peeking through the orchard gate through to the pebble paths

More Smallgoods making and Steve's surprise party

Right, Justin and I arrived at Inglewood separately on Friday afternoon.  Me from Melbourne, and J from Warrnambool.

J arrived first and went to the IGA for antipasto provisions

I arrived around 4, did a quick tour of the garden - and saw that the weeds are going crazy.

Great undulating drifts of weeds clumping and flattening like a geographic model

But Spring is in the air, as  almond blossoms were emerging

That said it was grey and miserable, so went back inside.  Justin had already turned the heater on in our bedroom - bliss! and also had the heater on in the big upstairs room

Was somewhat amused at a thick spiderweb attached to the light switch in the hallway

Had an antipasto picnic upstairs - and watched 2 movies (we started early)

First - 15.17 to Paris - a newish Clint Eastwood movie about a trio of young Americans who foiled a terrorist attempt on a train to Paris.  The  twist was that these 3 heros were actually playing themselves, and there was quite a long back story

And then Mr Holmes - with Ian McKellen which was somewhat melancholy.  Justin got tired and went to bed, I watched it all.

Saturday, and a leisurely start, didn't want to rush, with breakfast in the warmish kitchen (had a heater on in there also)

Told Terry we'd be there for smallgoods making after 10.  And we were

Terry had prepared some meat to make some cabana - as I had suggested it as something different to try.

First had to get the smoker ready - burning some sawdust

Then had to attach the loops of cabana to the grill

 

The finished product - cooked via the smoke - and it was delicious, and Terry gave us a loop to take home also

And then we started on the salami - had to cut up the fat first

Then mince up the fat with the meat and garlic

  Then mix it all up by hand

And then of course stuff them into the skins

 Stopped for a late lunch after this - a lovely eggplant parmagiana.  Terry does look after us well

And then I had a quick trip into Bridgewater, as I needed to pick up 2 x Waterwheel magnums that my CWA gals had paid for previously (they were only open on Saturdays in the Winter months)

Back to Terry's and onto some chorizos now - lots of paprika to make them red/orange.  Also made them thinner than the salamis.  They're going to be pretty hot....as I added quite a bit of chilli

Justin also entertained us a bit

Finished up for the afternoon around 4.30, and then back to the house - to hang up the salami and chorizo in the cellar ( a couple of recalcitrants slipped their nooses and escaped to the floor, so J had to re tie and re hang them)

Walked across to the Bowls Club at 6.30pm for Steve's surprise party that Denise had organised.  He knew something was up, but hadn't thought it was this.  Had a good night, and it was obviously nice and easy to get back home

  

Sunday morning, and I treated us to bacon and eggs in bed

Damo had texted earlier asking if he and Nicole could come over mid morning and get some of the spare crushed rock that we had.

Their definition of mid morning was a bit earlier than ours, as we were still reading in bed at that time

No worries, I knew them well enough to greet them in pajamas and a dressing gown

So, got up properly after this, and set to in the garden - pulling out weeds - as there were lots of them.

Got a call from Terry advising that we'd left a bowl of chopped beef, and the pork belly, so I suggested that I'd come back up there after lunch and make some sausages.  Got there around 3 or so, and made beef sausages with garlic, spices, pork fat etc

Justin had also suggested that we stay the night in Inglewood again, and that he could just drive straight to Geelong on Monday - so we did that - was pleasant to have an extra night there

I had a nice hot long bath to warm up, as I'd gone back to weeding after the sausage making and then we had a slack yet tasty takeaway hamburger dinner upstairs

Justin left early on Monday morning, and I stayed til around 4pm, doing more weeding, and also cut back the olive trees.

Before and after photos below