Daylesford Winter Dispatch - Sunday, 10th August 2025

An early & very picky Snoopy cartoon

We started our week with a very frosty morning, but a lovely, sun-filled day followed. I did enjoy going to the Daylesford Market and was greeted warmly by everyone. Wes had bought up big while I was sick, so we didn't need too much, but enough to keep Yvonne happy. Wes bought eggs & dog treats from Jeff, while I delivered newspapers to Ken Rae of Spring Park Nursery, who was setting up his trestle tables with bare-rooted roses. We then drove to Leitches Creek to pump mineral water, before driving back home and settling in for the day. 

The pump was iced up when we arrived - I've not seen that before!

Wes and some mates have been organising a 50+ years' St Bernard's College reunion for Friday, 5th September, and he spent the morning designing the invitation email and sending it out to everyone. It takes the form of a lunch at the Royal Hotel, Essendon, which is accessible by car, bus, tram & train and has accommodation to boot. He has booked a room for himself, choosing one with an ensuite! Meanwhile, I polished all the furniture in the lounge, as he intended to clean windows & floors there the next morning. 

I was pleased to go shopping at Coles on Monday, especially when Charlene said I had been missed. Afterwards, I did my usual walk up & down Vincent Street, visiting the pharmacy, the optician, the PO and Tonna's, as we needed items from all these places as well. The sun was shining, it was dry and everyone I met was in good spirits and greeting each other with a smile. 

Our friend, Jane Knox, has taken up painting, and I really admired one particular set of drawings called Nature, and asked her to leave it to me in her will. Instead she posted it to me, and it was waiting at the Post Office. What a lovely surprise!

I probably did too much on Monday, so kept things quieter on Tuesday. Leanne & I were able to Zoom for the first time in a while, and I was pleased to see her looking & sounding better than when we had last spoken. She was excited about our visit, which happened yesterday. I did go back to the Post Office though, to collect a book by an author I knew nothing of until I read a great sentence from one of his books, and was hooked. The author is Jock Serong, a former lawyer, who lives on the Victorian coast and writes crime fiction, and the book is called The Rules of Backyard Cricket. I'm halfway through it and can barely put it down!

On Wednesday morning, Judi & I played Mah Jong again, for the first time since the end of May. It's a shame we couldn't synchronise our unwellness, as first Judi & then I, was too sick to play. We had fun, tried a few different hands, and enjoyed catching up & seeing regulars at Muffins & More café. 

Wes & I were very sad to hear of the death of another old Daylesford friend, this time the unforgettable Ginger Love. She was such a character and time spent in her company was always enjoyable. Although Ginger had moved to Skye, we still kept in touch via email & Christmas cards. 

Ginger with Peter Widdop & Cathy O'Toole sharing bubbles

On Thursday, while Wes Zoomed with the Jackson Group, discussing The Implications of China, I caught up with Kathy, Karen S & Joyce, before leaving for a much-needed remedial massage with Sarah. While I was away, Fiona came back & spent another two hours doing all those jobs I have been unable to manage - more skirting boards, cobwebs, walls, furniture & laundry tiles. 

That night we decided to have fish & chips for dinner with a bottle of his favourite rosé, Charles Melton's Rose of Virginia, before watching Hawthorn host Collingwood at the MCG. What should have been a wonderful celebration of Steele Sidebottom's 350th game turned into a rout as the Hawks completely outclassed us and won easily by 64 points in front of 68,000+. 

The next morning, I was very pleased that I had a Zoom chat with Jan Pengilley to look forward to - we haven't been able to catch up since April and it was so good to see her looking well & happy after a road trip to Cairns & warmth. Afterwards I went for a stroll in the garden in the sunshine and found this first camellia.

Yesterday we had an excellent visit with Leanne - it was a beautiful morning in Strathmore and we were all pleased to see each other. After a good chat over morning tea, Wes fixed a printer & NDIS issue for her, and shifted her bins to a more accessible spot, while I introduced her to ABC i-View. We arrived back home to find a small bird trapped in the lounge, and Morse sound asleep in the sun on the decking. The bird wasn't panicky and it was easy to shoo it out through an open door.

Wes made toasted cheese & tomato sandwiches for a late lunch and we settled in to some very entertaining & close games of footy, especially the 2 point win by Sydney over Brisbane at the Gabba. That night, Carlton put up a good fight against the Suns, but fell short by 19 points.

Daylesford Winter Dispatch - Sunday, 3rd August 2025

 
I just love the look on Charlie Brown's face!

Well it's been a quiet week again - I had a relapse and have spent most of it in bed, trying to regain energy and fighting off bronchial-asthma. Wes has been wonderful - cooking, cleaning, gardening, dog walking, and eventually, relaxing with Morse at night. When I apologised to him for our very little life at present, he reminded me that on Tuesday night, he had shared his first ever Johnny Walker Blue Whisky with our neighbour, James, - an evening neither of them will forget. I don't drink whisky, but this smelt very similar to Edradour, the Scottish whisky that Wes loves, which has a honey fragrance to it. 

This top-shelf whisky retails around $233 & was a gift from Rob & Dene, who had been given various whisky bottles by their neighbour, and very kindly decided to share with Wes. 

As well, on Thursday, he had enjoyed a long lunch at The Convent with our friends, Hacy Tobias & Jim Brown, where he reprised the duck gnocchi, which is a signature dish of Bad Habits café. We've known Hacy for over 35 years and went to her wedding with Jim, but lost touch when they moved to Sydney. Now they are living in Melbourne again, it has been wonderful to rekindle the friendship and I was sorry to miss seeing them.

Jim, Wes & Hacy enjoying the sunshine at The Convent

Thanks to everyone who has been in touch during the week - I really appreciate Judi Allen & Lyndall Jenkin who play online Scrabble with me; Kathy Lazzaro, who keeps in touch by text & phone calls; Glen Tandberg who never fails to check in each day to see how I am, even when she was suffering her first bout of COVID (now gone thank God), and all my footy friends who exchange messages of good luck when the weekend comes. I don't feel so isolated when I have all this contact. Plus some stunning views from the bedroom!

Beautiful gums, Lake Daylesford & the Wombat State Forest make lying in bed looking out the windows a pleasure!

Last night, Collingwood lost by 27 points to Brisbane at the MCG in front of more than 82,000 fans. We never looked like winning, after the Lions hit the ground running and outplayed us. We now have a poor record most of the teams in the Top Eight, and will have to win against two more of them before the season ends. Carlton plays late this afternoon against Fremantle in Perth, which will be a tough game for them as well.

Daylesford Winter Dispatch - Sunday, 27th July 2025

It's sometimes like that at night here when Morse gets a bee in his bonnet🤣🤣

As part of my getting better quickly routine, I spent all Sunday in bed, which helped with doing things this week. Wes & Morse went to the Daylesford Market & brought home some Baker's Delight goodies as well - sourdough fruit loaf & berry custard tarts, both very yummy & extremely filling! That afternoon, Collingwood hosted Fremantle at the MCG in front of 62,000+, the biggest crowd Freo has ever played in front of in a home & away game. It was tight, close & exciting and the Dockers deserved their 1 point win, which brought them into the top 8. The Pies now hold first spot by a mere 2 points, so we have to win every game from now on, starting with Richmond this afternoon. I have returned my reserved seat for the game as I don't have the energy to get there & back.

On Monday I was able to do the supermarket shopping and stayed up until lunch-time, when I retreated to bed and rested. Meanwhile, Wes gave Morse a big early walk, and then emptied two of our five compost bins, which was a great start in the garden. Oliver the magpie and his mates, began eyeballing me at 10am, which was a trifle early to be hungry after tucking in since 7am!

Morse with yet another sleeping pose

The rest of the week has followed a similar pattern for me, and I've mostly had to cancel or postpone activities, apart from Zooming with Leanne & hosting the Old Friends Zoom. I'm watching the Downton Abbey episodes for the umpteenth time, and also enjoying Patience, an English crime series, set in York, but filmed mostly in Belgium, that Wes found, which stars an autistic police archivist, showcasing her different approach to solving crime. 

We've had so much rain, except for Wednesday & Thursday, when it was very minor, and all the lakes, dams & water tanks are looking a lot better than they were. As the ice melted on the garden on Thursday, Wes emptied another the remaining 3 compost bins, adding valuable mulch to the garden bed that hosts our beautiful Japanese double wisteria. 

On Thursday night, Carlton & Hawthorn played at the MCG in front of 51,000+. The Blues were outgunned in the first quarter and played catch up footy for the rest of the night. This was the final game for one of my favourite players, Sam Docherty, who has overcome cancer twice & serious injuries, to play his 185th match. He is one of the most popular players across all the teams, and is on the Board of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation, where his experience of testicular cancer makes him a valuable contributor. 

Sam with his wife, Nat, and children - Myles & Ruby, announcing his retirement at Carlton

Yesterday, Wes visited his sister, Denise, in pouring rain, to bring her flowers & wish her a Happy Birthday. It didn't stop raining all day, and we had at least 50mls in 24 hours. Later in the afternoon, Leon & Shaun Anderson, two of Denise's sons, dropped in with a large piece of her birthday cake, before returning to Melbourne. Wes & Morse enjoyed their visit very much. 

We've woken to no rain this morning, so Morse is getting a lovely long walk before going to the Daylesford Market. I had hoped to get there, but can't shake a headache, dizziness & exhaustion, so I'm back to bed. I've had a pretty good run lately, and can't complain, especially as it is perfect weather for staying indoors!

We can only hope the driver & passengers were all OK - this happened by the side of the road between Daylesford & Hepburn

Daylesford Winter Dispatch - Sunday, 20th July 2025

                        Another brilliant Snoopy cartoon

After our early walk & visit to the Daylesford Market, we decided to have a quiet day. Wes was feeling chilly and went to bed to get warm & hopefully improve after a sleep. Morse & I sat in the lounge, and would have been reading the Sunday Age, but it didn't arrive, so I had to resort to saved cryptic crosswords & logic problems for my daily brain teasers. We were very sorry to read of the death of a lovely Daylesford friend, who had been in Trentham Day-care recently. Jean was a great friend of Dot & John Smith, and a member of the U3A Hepburn Shire, and it was always a pleasure to spend time with her. She was 96 years young.

On Monday, it was raining when Morse & I got up, so he had an early breakfast & Wes stayed in bed until I went supermarket shopping. We were able to have School, which was a discussion of bucket list items we might be able to achieve in Australia. We ended up with a few and need to do some more research.

Wes was able to walk Morse early on Tuesday in the mist, while I chatted with my aunt, Jeff, in Lincolnshire, where she was hot & I was kitted out in a beanie & scarf while I waited for the heater to kick in. We enjoyed our chat & the time flew by too quickly. Then I caught up with my sister, Leanne, on Zoom, and we discussed our exercise regimes and her plans for the week.

                                Spot Morse if you can!

After lunch I had an appointment with my doctor, Ellie O'Connor, and we decided to change from Melatonin to Restavit to see if that helped with sleeping. I was starting to feel like I was getting a head cold, so after I came back home from seeing Ellie, I went to bed, which was the best thing. I tested the next morning for COVID, but it wasn't that, so we agreed a day in bed wouldn't hurt, and it didn't. That night I had the best sleep in ages, so fingers crossed this will continue to work.

On Thursday morning I was able to Zoom with Terry Borg early, and we discussed medical centres and the way they are run these days, often being a one-stop shop, which is so convenient. We are blessed here in Daylesford to have so many medical & allied health professionals under one roof, with the hospital across the road. Then it was time to catch up with Old Friends - Kathy, Joyce & Karen S - Lib rang to apologise as she had a busy day & couldn't join us. I wanted to let Joyce know what a great visit we had enjoyed with her son, Matt, and family the previous week, and everyone else had liked seeing the photos. 

I went back to bed after these Zooms as my cold was developing and it seemed the best place to be. Our friend, Les Groundwater, came & took our fire-screen away to weld a gumleaf back on it, and returned it an hour later. He is such a kind person that when he had the use of a welder he remembered about our screen & fixed it! 

Friday morning followed the same pattern - up to chat with Leanne on Zoom before she had a blood test, and then a rest while Wes went off for a haircut. I was lucky enough to be in our bedroom when this huge kangaroo arrived at the top of the drive, hopped through our circular driveway and stopped at the end of the street before deciding to hop down the embankment & out of our lives!

While I've been taking it easy and trying to get recover from this cold before it turns into bronchial asthma, Wes has been wonderful - gardening, cooking, walking Morse, staying in touch with friends & family, and keeping me fed & watered. I am very grateful, although I wish I didn't need all the care and could just bounce back the way he does.

Yesterday I decided to return my reserved seat at the Collingwood vs Freo game at the MCG this arvo as I don't have the energy to catch the train there & back, let alone cope with night air. I'll be able to watch it on TV of course, but nothing is as good as being at the game.

Last night Carlton survived a spirited fightback from Melbourne at the MCG to record a win by 8 points in front of nearly 41,000 people. I had gone to sleep at half-time, but woke 5 minutes before the end and joined Wes in the lounge to watch the Blues steady after the Demons got within 2 points. 

Daylesford Winter Dispatch - Sunday, 13th July 2025

There is nothing new under the sun!

We had another good early visit to the Daylesford Market last Sunday. Morse demolished his pear with gusto and happily trotted along to visit Jeff, the dog treat man, for a dozen eggs. After I had put everything away, Morse & I drove to Ballan, to visit Rob & Dene, who had offered us a bag of oranges & a jar of marmalade in return for lemons & jars. It was a quick, but enjoyable visit - Morse checked out every inch of their garden & I was shown all the work achieved by the previous Sunday's working bee. 

The next morning we woke to the news that our old Daylesford friend, Glenn Mack, had died peacefully the previous day. We hadn't seen him for some years since he moved to Cavendish, then Ballarat & finally, Trentham. We spent many happy hours with him over the years and are pleased to have those memories of a very talented & fun person.

After an early walk with Morse and the weekly supermarket shop, I sat down with Wes to go through our Executor Dossier and make sure everything was up to date before we sent it on to Adrian Tinetti, our solicitor & executor. There were a couple of corrections to be done, and some password updating, so I was able to pop into Vincent Street for my remaining chores, and Wes spent time in the garden, filling up our green bin, which hasn't been put out for emptying for quite some weeks.

We had booked a short stay in Melbourne during August to attend the Annual MCC Bradman lunch, and I was due to book tickets with our friends, Brendan & Margaret Wilkinson, when I discovered the MCC had changed the date of the lunch & we were unable to go. We cancelled our stay at The Windsor, and Morse's trip to Eureka Kennels and decided we would have to find another special event to attend in its place. 

On Tuesday, we battled a very strong wind all day, so decided to spend the day inside, apart from Morse & I travelling to my favourite mineral water spring, Leitches Creek, to pump water. The Hepburn Council had changed our bin collection and for once, all three bins were emptied on a Tuesday morning, which really suited all those who can't remember which two are due in any one week! 

Wes has been busy with Zooms & chats this week - Barbara in NZ twice, Danny in Brisbane, Helen in Melbourne & Paul in Oxfordshire, as well as the Jackson Group, and two lunches. 

We woke to Brigadoon on Wednesday morning, but it was dry in Duke Street, so we drove to Daylesford Cemetery (5 minutes away) and were greeted by rain when we got out of the car. We abandoned our walk and came back home, where it was still dry! Judi & I had cancelled Mah Jong, but the weather in Ballarat was better than here, so Wes & I made a quick trip to pick up smoked salmon pieces, a big bottle of Hendricks gin, (no whisky as Rob & Dene had given him two very special bottles of Johnny Walker) & a pair of warm Kathmandu pants for me. 

We each had Zoom chats on Thursday - Wes chatted with the Jackson Group, where the topic was DOGE, Trump's Department of Government Efficiency & its implications. Meanwhile I enjoyed catching up with Kathy, Lib, Karen S & Joyce, where the main conversation centred on the loss of banks & ATMs in Melbourne. We are very fortunate here in Daylesford as we still have two banks and at least 4 ATMs. 

Lunch in the Mother Superior's Parlour at The Convent 
L-R - Ava, Sara, Wes, Gen, Matt & Karen 

We were thrilled to be having lunch with our Godson, Matthew Spiteri & his family, at the start of their 4-day, 3-night visit to Daylesford. Matt had let us know in plenty of time, so I booked a table at The Convent and Marija put us in the Mother Superior's Parlour, which is always a special pleasure. Our meals were delightful and somehow we all found room for scones & cakes afterwards.

Once again, Fiona had visited to clean for two hours, and she enlisted the help of her husband, Les, to reach the really high cobwebs. Before he left, Les went downstairs to spend time with Wes & Morse, which was wonderful, as we have missed this couple in our lives over the past few months. Fiona did wonders in our bedroom & bathroom - she is cleaning skirting boards and ceiling fans, doors & walls & really making a difference.

That night Carlton played the reigning Premiers, Brisbane, at the Docklands Stadium, and sadly, continued to look inept when it mattered most that their play was fast and skilful. I gave up at half-time and I think Wes came to bed during the 3rd quarter as it wasn't getting any better.

Morse wondering when the footy will stop!

Friday marked 57 years since we committed to each other at Melbourne Uni - a day we remember very well. Wes posted this photo on Facebook, which produced quite a few comments & smiles. While I stayed here and recovered from our busy Thursday, he drove to Seddon to have lunch with two of his cousins - Amanda Testro & Gary Testro. He arrived back home at 5pm after a slow, wet Friday afternoon drive, but was delighted with the reunion and all the memories the three of them shared.

Us at Melbourne University Folk Club 1968

Wes, Gary & Amanda

That night Collingwood played the Gold Coast Suns up there, and I was worried as I thought they could easily beat us. When it took the Pies until the middle of the 3rd quarter to kick their first goal, I suspected I was right. We did rally, but the Suns kicked the last two goals & deserved their win. Fingers crossed they will play Finals this year for the first time. 

Yesterday morning, Wes had offered to take Matt, Sara, Genevieve & Ava for a tour of Daylesford and surrounds, taking in their special interests and finishing with a visit to the Chocolate Mill. Sara opted for a long walk on her own, but the others were up for the challenge! Meanwhile, I made a big batch of vegetarian minestrone soup, which was just what Wes needed when he arrived home. We were lucky with the weather - although it was cold, the sun was shining and Daylesford was sparkling. 

Ava & Genevieve indulging at the Chocolate Mill

Daylesford Winter Dispatch - Sunday, 6th July 2025

 

Last Sunday started well with a walk & visit to the Daylesford Market, where Morse was moderately well-behaved, ate his pear & didn't bark at any other dogs. We came home to tea & toast for breakfast. I started to feel very tired, and spent most of the day in bed, which gave me some more energy for the rest of the week. 

I had to cancel my massage with Sarah on Monday, which was a shame, but I didn't have the energy. It was 30th June, end of financial year, so we had back-ups & reports to do. It was a lovely day after a cool morning, with sunshine and not too much wind. Oliver & his mate, the Artful Dodger, came looking for more around 10am, which is a bit early!

Here is Morse catching the afternoon sun

Wes went back to Springs Medical to get the results of his Heart Study. He saw Dr Danielle, not his usual Dr James, and she gave him the good news that he was not a candidate for a heart attack, and that the medications regime he was on was what she would also recommend. He was very relieved and pleased of course, even though it means he has been booted off the Study!

While Wes has been busy doing home & gardening chores, I've been taking things very quietly. I was able to chat with my aunt, Jeff, on Tuesday morning, where the inside temperature was 34℃ at 10pm, while I was rugged up & wearing a beanie as we had woken to -5℃! Then I Zoomed with Leanne, who was looking better & we planned our visit which happened yesterday.

Judi & I once again cancelled Mah Jong - she was feeling much better, but still coughing, and I didn't want to take the risk of catching whatever lurgy she had. Although the temperature was higher on Wednesday, the wind chill factor was extreme and I was pleased to get home after finishing my chores, which included delivering newspapers to Spring Park Nursery, and buying an electric can-opener from Paris at Daylesford Hardware. Wes & I have terrible trouble with can-openers - very few are meant to be ambidextrous and those that are don't really like being used left-handed!

I appreciated the last bunch of Oriental lilies so much, Wes bought me another lot!

We had a busy Thursday morning - Wes walked Morse, who had interrupted all our sleeps to have loud conversations with dogs in the next street, and then spent time clearing drains & tidying up the wisteria in the back yard. I had a lovely Zoom with Terry Borg, who was back from trips to Thailand and Fiji, and looked very well as a result. Then I hosted an Old Friends chat with Lib, Kathy, Karen S & Joyce. We really enjoyed catching up with Lib, who has missed the past few Zooms, and wished her a Happy Birthday for Friday. 

Then our friend, Fiona, came for Day 1 of cleaning. I had prepared a sheet of jobs for her to do in the kitchen/lounge area, and she got through them all. Everywhere looks sparkling and the only cobwebs left were the ones she couldn't reach. She'll be back this Thursday to weave her magic on our upstairs bedroom/dressing/bathroom area. 

Wes produced a very yummy light fish soup that night with a crusty Illawarra sourdough baguette to go with it and little ice-creams afterwards. He was keen to have a go at soups and this was a big success. 

On Friday, I visited Daylesford friend, Sue Longley, and came home with a big bag of her lemons. She has two small trees, but they deliver an abundance of lemons every year. While I was in Vincent Street, I bumped into Lyndal Conroy who used to be my hairdresser, before her daughter, Brynlee arrived, and took up most of her waking hours. I haven't seen Lyndal since she was 8 months pregnant & it was lovely to meet Brynlee, who is now 18 months old and having a magical upbringing surrounded by horses, dogs & now her own pony!

Brynlee Younger with her grand-father, Glenn Conroy at the trots

We had a good visit with Leanne yesterday bringing Bourkie's vanilla slices with us, which went over well. After a good chat & catch up with Leanne's health, Wes & I turned her mattress around for her and remade the bed. Then he solved the issue of a slow desktop, while Leanne & I compared exercise notes and gave each other tips. We were back home around lunchtime and had a quiet afternoon after our busy morning.

Today we three have been for a dark, but not cold, walk around Daylesford Cemetery. Morse has been fed and now he is waiting anxiously for us to remember it is Sunday and we are due to visit the Market. We have assured him we won't forget, but he keeps muttering just in case!!

Daylesford Winter Dispatch - Sunday, 1st June 2025

 

More from the wonderful Peppermint Patty

After our visit to the Daylesford Market last Sunday, we came home to do a few more chores. We moved the bar fridge from under the house back into the study, which gives better access to cold water & milk; positioned some mats in the kitchen, study & at the bottom of the stairs, and put the chess table into the study where it is in sight & can be used as desired. Wes then spent a couple of hours in the back garden, making a start on pruning and cleaning up, while I watched the second half of the Collingwood vs North game that I had missed the night before.

We decided to look at our Executor Dossier for School on Monday, as there have been a few changes lately and it's an important document to keep up-to-date. It was sunny, but windy, so Wes spent time tidying up under the house, rather than in the garden. The wind was so strong that it blew down all the red & green bins waiting to be emptied the next morning. The second time I picked them up I moved them back to the retaining wall of #77, where they stayed put until Wes moved them out again on Tuesday early before the garbos drove up at 6.30am.

I missed walking with him & Morse on Tuesday, as they were able to manage without me, and I could catch up with my aunt, Jeff, in Torksey Lock, Lincolnshire. It was lovely to chat together and hear her news again after 6 weeks' break. Then I Zoomed with Leanne, who was suffering from a head cold that one of her NDIS visitors had given her, but she was keen to see Morse and chat with me, so we persevered.

Lovely recent photo of Jeff in her yard

While Wes pruned two rows of roses, I visited Juls in Hepburn, where it is usually a little warmer and less windy, for my regular manicure, as she had graciously changed all my Thursday appointments to Tuesdays without complaint.  

On Wednesday, Judi & I played Mah Jong, where the main topic was the cold wind! We each tried some interesting hands and went Mah Jong often enough to be happy with our form. Wes vacuumed & washed the floors while I was away, leaving the study clear so that Morse didn't have to be outside. 

We both had Zooms on Thursday morning - Wes was part of the Jackson Group discussing the topic "What is Truth?", while I chatted with Lib & Joyce about the incremental losses of independence we are all experiencing. The wind died down, so Wes could get into the garden, and I did some cooking! 

That afternoon, Wes saw his GP - Dr James - who was pleased with how he was going and asked him to be part of a heart check up study next month, to which he agreed. On his way home, he bought a baguette and aged cashew cheese at Blakes, to accompany the pumpkin & coconut soup I had made. This meal was a big success, so I've been enlisted to make another soup this coming Thursday.

These beautiful Oriental lilies were a thank you from Wes for the past 6 weeks & are much appreciated

On Friday morning, it was frosty at Daylesford Cemetery, but there was no wind for a change, so we were most appreciative. Afterwards I Zoomed with Leanne and then headed to Springs Medical Centre for my quarterly podiatry appointment with Peter. When he hadn't arrived by 9.30am, I questioned whether he was coming, and all the indications were positive. He was another 5 minutes and very apologetic. He had forgotten he was meant to deliver the dog to Doggie Day-care, which wasn't on the way to Daylesford from his home in Castlemaine, and hadn't allowed enough time. 

That night, after fish & chips, we settled down for the Collingwood vs Hawthorn match at the MCG, which attracted over 83,000. I was very nervous as the Hawks had completely smashed us when we last played, winning by 11 goals, and they looked determined as they ran out. Happily for Pies fans, we looked the better team most of the game and were able to win.

It was such a late night we cancelled our early morning walk, and slept in until 7am, which Morse was quite happy with. He had breakfast and then a long overdue bath and settled down in the sun with a bone as his reward. Carlton had a bye this weekend, so we have been able to watch the rest of the footy without stress. 

Daylesford Winter Dispatch - Sunday, 29th June 2025

 
What a lovely feeling!

It was quite cold at the Daylesford Market for the start of our Sunday, but soon the sun came out. Wes did some gardening and I made some phone calls, sorted out problems, changed to our Winter doona cover, and rested with afternoon footy games to watch.

Our friends, Paul & Pauline Jackson in Oxfordshire, recently celebrated their 60th wedding Anniversary and sent us this lovely photo of them cutting the cake at their celebration with family & friends. We first met them back in April, 2010, when we visited Daylesford, UK, and have stayed in touch ever since.

On Monday, after supermarket shopping, Wes gave me a detailed update on our finances, and we are both pleased that we remained on budget and stay here at Maloney Folly for a few more years yet - until we can no longer manage a house & garden I suspect, although we won't be in a hurry to say goodbye to our stunning views of Lake Daylesford & the Wombat State Forest.

I had a few chores afterwards and took Morse with me, as he loves trips in the car & Snoopy is the roomiest, most comfortable vehicle he has travelled in. We pumped water, picked up worming tablets, delivered corks to Daylesford Day Care, posted cards, and dropped some items in to the Salvos Red Shield shop. Later both Wes & I restarted our Keep Fit regimes - I haven't been able to do my exercises since March last year, and Wes has been promising himself to use the exercise bike - doing the work together was a success!

Latest crop of beanies

On Tuesday, I Zoomed with Leanne before having a manicure with Juls in Hepburn, where it is always a little warmer & dryer than Daylesford. We had about 10mls of rain, which kept all three of us inside for the rest of the day. We had tried to walk Morse early, but when we got to the cemetery, not only was their light rain, but the cemetery was completely covered in mist and there wasn't a moon or star to guide our way, so we came straight back home again!

Judi & I decided to cancel Mah Jong as the weather was going to be even colder on Wednesday and it was. I had a hair appointment, delivered some jars & an Epicure to Nick & Robyn, picked up various items we needed, and came home just as the heavens opened up. 

Our first attempt to grow cornflowers & we succeeded - they are sitting outside my study window and are a delight to see

We both had Zooms on Thursday morning - The Jackson Group discussed Climate Change, and the Old Friends talked about Malta. Then we had a visit from our friend, Fiona Groundwater, who has offered to do some cleaning for us. Morse was delighted and it was 10 minutes before she could sit down and discuss what we wanted & what she could offer. The good news is that we are both happy to give it a go, and Fiona starts next Thursday morning, spending a couple of hours in the kitchen/lounge area. We hope that if she can get everywhere looking good, it will be easier for us to keep it that way. 

Then we drove to The Pig & Whistle in Trentham East to have a lovely long catch up lunch with Kathy & Gerard Lazzaro. We sat in front of the open fire, enjoyed great meals & wines, and only left because it was time for our friends to get back on the road to Burwood before peak hour traffic hit. That night, Carlton were totally unable to cope with Port Adelaide's game plan, much to the disgust of their fans yet again.

On Friday, although it was cold & frosty early, the sun shone, and we were pleased to be heading off to Muffins & More for a long overdue brunch with John Smith, husband of Dot, who died last June. Wes & I had hot drinks & toasties while we waited, but John must have forgotten, so we'll make another date when he gets in touch. 

In keeping with everything going bung with water at our place, the upstairs loo refused to flush, so Gary, our wonderful plumber, came back yet again, and replaced the flusher, which had died. He's about to go on three weeks leave, so I asked him if he could check everything at our place before he goes, but he declined with a laugh!

Yesterday, we had a lovely visit from Rob & Dene, which all three of us enjoyed enormously. Wes provided Captain's Creek bubbles, coffee, cheeses & chocolate from Blakes, and we had a good catch up with Morse attempting to get on Rob's lap whenever he could.

Last night, Collingwood played West Coast at the Docklands Stadium. I was nervous, as even though the Eagles are at the bottom of the ladder, they do like playing the Magpies at that venue, and certainly notched up a win last time I was there. Once again, they played out of their skins, until we finally prevailed in the last quarter. 

Daylesford Winter Dispatch - Sunday, 22nd June 2025

 
A common problem for writers!

We started our week slowly with a quiet Sunday after going to the Market. I visited our neighbour, Glen, who has been resting since her first cataract op, and had a lovely catch up with her, and her daughter, Sarah, who is my remedial masseuse. Sarah's son, Matt, had played his first footy game for Daylesford Seniors, coming up from the Under 18s & it was great to share the family excitement at this milestone. 

Wes was very disappointed with Carlton's effort that night against West Coast in Perth. They played like winners in the first half, and then settled back & watched the Eagles try to catch up. Collingwood had a bye, which is always strange - rusted-on supporters like me aren't sure what to do!

On Monday, it was freezing cold in the wind, but Morse was more than ready for a run around the Cemetery. Afterwards I did the supermarket shopping, and then we settled down for a serious School chat covering a few topics - our insurances, MyMedicare & questions Wes had to ask Mazda when he took Snoopy for its 1,000km service on Wednesday.

Morse getting back to normal Winter behaviour 

Our home insurance had gone up by $1,000 because of our broken water pipe damage last year, and nobody seemed to want us even though the issue appears to be fixed. The car insurance had also gone up by $200, but we are insuring a more valuable car, so that was to be expected. As far as MyMedicare is concerned, I had registered 12 months ago, but with Wes's doctor, as mine was on maternity leave; and Wes couldn't get into the relevant site on MyGov, so took the plunge and rang them. He fluked a very helpful person, who told him to unlink Medicare and start again. That worked, and now we are both registered correctly with our own doctors!

Next morning, while Wes & Morse walked in light rain, I chatted to my aunt, Jeff, in Lincolnshire, where the temperatures are very warm, and then to my sister, Leanne, in Strathmore, where rain is falling, much to everyone's delight. Then it was time for my appointment with the bone scan bus, where a very friendly young woman from Thomastown, put me at my ease, asked questions, and complained about the cold & wet in Daylesford. 

We had ordered bare-rooted roses from Spring Park Nursery earlier this year, including an extra Golden Beauty to give Glen, as she has admired ours so much. Chris delivered them on Sunday, and Wes planted ours out the front in the strawberry patch. He had hoped to do more gardening, but the rain came down, so he had to be content with doing that much. 

We look forward to seeing our new bushes looking like this in Spring 

On Wednesday, Wes took Snoopy to Ballarat Mazda for his 1,000km service and learned a few more tricks with this lovely car. I got to walk to Mah Jong for a change & as the rain had stopped it was quite enjoyable, although I was feeling sad as it was the first Anniversary of Dot Smith's death, and I do miss her after playing Mah Jong with her most Wednesdays over 24 years. Judi & I had a good morning - we both played our favourite games & didn't try anything new. Wes arrived home just as I did and he had plenty of supplies - spirits, oysters, fish & new clothes - a very successful visit to Ballarat.

We continued our busy week on Thursday after giving Morse a really good walk at the cemetery. Wes had agreed to be part of a Heart Check Up Study at Springs Medical, which took the best part of two hours, while I had a lovely Zoom with Kathy, Karen S & Joyce, mainly catching up with Karen & Malcolm's recent cruise and visit to Greece. Then I got a lesson in using some of Snoopy's tricks, before Wes had a coffee at Blake's with Bob White, who has lost two very good friends this week. 

Bob & Wes at the Pig & Whistle Hotel earlier this year

Wes arrived back home with yummy bread & an ash brie to accompany the cauliflower soup I had made while he was away - not quite the standard of the previous night's meal of oysters, following by Atlantic salmon & steamed long beans.

Meanwhile, Jody, from Ballarat Mazda, rang offering to quote on our car insurance as she is an agent for Suncorp. We were delighted when her identical policy was much cheaper than our current cover, and even more thrilled when we got a Home & Contents quote with Suncorp, that was much closer to what we had paid last year. It's good to have our insurances sorted, and to have saved $1,500 on renewal by shopping around reputable companies. 

Unsurprisingly, I found myself spending Friday in bed, after what has been busier than usual for me. It was exactly the right thing to do & Wes very kindly served drinks & meals, while I read, did crosswords & logic problems and rested. I woke yesterday feeling much better and ready to tackle all the emails that had built up while I was offline. 

We had different fortunes with our footy teams - Carlton were jumped by North Melbourne, and looked very ordinary for three quarters before they slammed on 5 goals, 5 behinds to nothing, but it wasn't enough to beat the Kangaroos. We had lit the fire as it was a very cold day, and I stayed there watching the next game, where Port Adelaide were expected to beat Sydney and didn't, before retreating to bed to see if Collingwood could hold off St Kilda. It was a very even game until the last quarter when the Pies were finally able to get a break on the Saints, who had played out of their skins, but couldn't finish us off. 

Daylesford Winter Dispatch - Sunday, 15th June 2025

 
Poor Charlie Brown!

We started our week with a wet visit to the Daylesford Market, where we were the second car parked at the entrance to Yvonne's stall. Everyone was thrilled with the rain, but not so happy about their chances of selling all their produce. Morse was given two pears and was beside himself with delight. On our way home, we stopped at Baker's Delight to collect scrolls, which we enjoyed after Wes had reset the fire and I'd put away all our purchases.

We enjoyed listening to Day 2 of the ABC Classic 100 Piano, and ended up with most of our selections being part of it, although neither of us voted for the number 1 - Beethoven's Emperor Concerto. Along with quite a few other listeners, we were watching the footy with the sound down so we could keep up with the latest piece of music. That night, Carlton & Essendon played a game that looked like being one-sided at half-time, but turned into an exciting contest at the end with the Bombers coming back from 38 points down to lose by 8 points in front of 74,000+ on a cold, wet night at the MCG. 

I had planned to go to the footy on Monday, for the annual King's Birthday clash with Melbourne, with Big Freeze 11 (the fund-raiser to fight MND) the pre-game highlight. However, it was so cold, and I was still not 100%, so decided it would be best to stay home & watch in comfort with my boys. I did miss out on a most exciting match that the Pies won by 1 point. The Dees threw everything at us and were unlucky not to be able to win after getting ahead in the last quarter.

Tuesday arrived without any rain, which meant Wes & Morse could have a long walk in the cemetery - it was still too cold for me to venture out, and we then tackled packing for Barwon Heads where the temperatures were expected to be at least 5℃ higher than here. We had an easy drive and arrived there in plenty of time to collect bread & vanilla slices before settling into our holiday home on Golf Links Drive.

Wes admiring the full moon & pink sky while keeping an eye out for Morse

Late in the afternoon, so we took Morse for a beach walk, which went well until other dogs arrived! We managed to escape without too much difficulty and came home to poached salmon & vegetables, with a lovely bottle of Wangolina shiraz.

We took Morse back to the beach early on Wednesday morning, where the tide was out and we were the only ones around. There was a sign warning us about horses, but none turned up. Back home to eggs on toast & The Age newspaper.

Morse reluctantly posing on the sand with Wes early in the morning

We had a very relaxed day and I went for a walk around lunchtime, remembering places from when we used to visit Barwon Heads frequently, courtesy of Libby's kind parents, Doug & Bell, who allowed her friends to use their holiday house. We were very grateful and headed to 25 Margate Street to see if their house was still there, and it was - looking much the same as it did in the 70s. 

These delightful painted bollards are dotted around the streets making everyone smile!

We lasted until lunch on Day 1, at the ICC World Championship Test at Lord's - Australia was in trouble, but rallied to make 212, with Beau Webster the top scorer on 72. Then we had South Africa 4/43, which was a big relief. It's obviously a bowler's pitch!

On Thursday morning, we took Morse back to 13th Beach, and he got braver in the water - skipping along the edge of the waves and chasing birds. He was really loving the beach, but missing the routines of home, especially at night. There is no dog door, so we were leaving a sliding door open for him, but we suspect he didn't dare go out in case he couldn't get back in again. We eventually worked out how to turn up the sound on the TV set and enjoyed watching an episode of The Unforgotten, while we ate Coffin Bay oysters & prawns with a bottle of Wangolina Fiano for our Anniversary dinner. South Africa rallied in the cricket, then collapsed all out 138. The bowlers took over in our second innings as well & we were 8/144 at stumps. Meanwhile the Doggies made mincemeat of the Saints in a disappointing clash for St Kilda supporters.

We took Morse extra early for a long walk on 13th Beach on our last morning. There was no-one around as the temperature was -2℃. We all enjoyed our hassle-free time together and made the decision we would come home after breakfast. Our AirBnB house was fine, but we found it cold and thought we would rather shower in our own bathrooms where we would be warm. We arrived back just after 10am, and while Wes washed Snoopy, I got the first load of washing on, unpacked everything else and waited my turn for a shower.

This full moon was still shining brightly as we left the beach

Our decision to come straight home was a good one, and we realised that with all the chores done, we could visit Leanne yesterday, a much overdue visit. South Africa got on top of Australia in the Test with a wonderful century by Markram and they needed only a short time last night to win. 

Our visit to Leanne went well - Wes planted a magnolia and sorted out some computer problems, while I helped with Kayo and mobile phone issues. We drove in heavy fog until Woodend, and it was still foggy & cold when we were coming home 5 hours later.