No breeze at all today so I went for a groyne to groyne swim after lunch. Did not see anything major but there were a lot of small fish. In the afternoon we retired to the deck and pride of place was delegated to your elders. Just make yourself at home with the lemon lime and bitters. The thermals were being used by the ibis and one solitary pelican who circled so high he went out of sight.
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| cheers |
The more you look the more you find something else. That seems to be a common description of Debbie's handiwork. We had another 1 hour tour of the garden beds and made no charge for admission. Some minor repairs were made to straighten a rose branch that is heavily laden but was badly bent up by the wind. Some strawberries were picked and instantly consumed as well as noting both the lemon and olive trees are bearing a huge crop but the olives are for next year. Some of the succulents are doing their own thing instead of where they were supposed to go. Nothing that a pair of shears can't fix.
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| bicycle way |
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| succulent city |
It was birthday minus 1 for Bianca but any excuse for extra cake and Asher time. They are more organised than us with a proper pine smelling Christmas tree in the corner complete with decos. Asher seems to know that this Santa business is a big deal already. The deck was finished just in time this week and looks a very professional finish to it as well. That ball of energy also known as Asher means I will be sleeping well tonight. Bianca was not the only one to get a present as James got his first ever pair of pants back again.
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| hand made by Debbie |
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| Deck the Halls |
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| Asher and the tree |
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| Asher crashes out |
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| Asher Christmas ears |
There was a bit of rain around this morning so I got back to unloading some videos. These were all mostly small clips but I have pieced a couple together. The Pelican cottage is rustic and creaking but has character in a scenic location. I must say we see pelicans on a daily basis at home but did not see a single one near the cottage, as I think they are primarily sea birds, although there are thousands of salmon that have been introduced into these lakes. We did see them on the walls of the cottage. I have attached an authoritative list of birds that was seen by some people who stayed and must have been on their "Big Year".
Haven't been back there for some time however Mick was a bit rushed in leaving the van last time he was there so we had to go over and fetch some fetchables he left behind, to bring back to Melbourne for him. But seeing we were over there and the temperature was over 30° we decided to trek our way back over the sand dune to the oceanside beach. The main problem was parking out side the park as our number plate access has been taken away. The large shade tree just out side the van has been cut down. The groundsmen there were always chipping away at that tree looking for reasons to get rid of it. I don't think there is an original tree left in the place.
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| No shade here |
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| Umbrella shade here |
I spent the morning rearranging a booking code that has had four iterations since I first booked these flights a year ago. Anna Palazukzuk has been the border hoarder for a year and has allowed us to visit and I am sure we will help boost her ailing economy. At this late notice finding accommodation was tricky trying to squeeze in before Christmas.
I also received a delivery that cost €8, so I assumed these stamps I bought were coming from Europe but the seller lived in NSW. These are the first ever stamps that used the self adhesive approach and they happen to be maps. I would prefer to see the map on a rectangle rather than the complex shapes that the outline of Sierra Leone presents. However if you a doing something special in 1964 and want to grab everyone's attention then this worked.
Did a bit more exercise than I was thinking today. I rode into Drysdale and back which is not that far but immediately went over to the beach as it was very calm, so good for the snorkel swim. However this time I ventured much further over towards the Dell. I almost got there but pulled into the shore before getting to the park area. The way back was blocked by a van that turned up. They were fencing off the washout near the creek. In the afternoon we were back at the beach after Debbie's meetings. The breeze was still very low and the water crystal clear. We found three golf balls buried and not in very good condition compared to the dozens of others that I have found.
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| Hopefully they will fix this sooner |
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| under water garden |
This is the Hugo winner from 1955 and just the 3rd one to be awarded, so this one is as old as me. It took quite a while to track it down, as it has an alternate title being 'The Forever Machine'. The other quirk about this book is it has two authors as well. In 1955 computers were largely unknown and a few existed in warehouse type buildings. This story suggests that if everyone had a computer then we would all be better off. Their computer could answer anything and governments were trying to steal it. They got the part about every one having computers right.
Just noticed the SES have arrived at the scene. Previously the council have come with trucks to even out the sand. This may be a totally separate rescue mission but with two service vehicles on site it could be anything. I did see some hand held equipment being taken down from the main truck but the smaller truck has driven down. The sluice gates are jammed up so I am guessing that is the focus although the sharp concrete edges could do with some sand as well.
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| ThunderBirds 1 & 2 |
4:00 pm Update
Went back down after they packed up and left but I can't see what took them 90min to do. There were a lot of boot marks in the sand but other than that I couldn't see much of a difference.
The council has had a long running battle with the elements concerning the creek running onto the beach. Last night the heavens opened and really tested the latest form works trying to divert the creek from washing away the beach. I went down to check it out and found significant damage but not as much as previously. There is a dangerous sharp corner exposed which will need back filling. The water is still banked up and pouring thru the grate which is half the reason it has overflowed as it blocks up with branches.
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| diversion track |
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| washout |
It was spitting rain but still 22° when we set out for a short tour around Drysdale this morning. It was a latish night last night so a bit of wind should wake us up. There are now three boat ramps at Jetty road and they were all queued up for refloating or defloating. We have asked a few boat owners how the fishing is going and they all seem to catch a few but not enough. Or is that always the way. We have been watching one of those canola (rapeseed) fields and this one has been allowed to completely brown off. Now the browned off heads have been cut from the stems and laid across in long columns.
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| boat jam |
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| curious |
Debbie makes a good pizza by buying the pizza base but if you can make your own base then you have entered the professional ranks. With help from Anna two huge pizzas on a home made base have been produced. It took three to four hours for the whole process including the wait while the yeasty dough rose. The only thing missing was the twirling pizza dervish thru the air trick.
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| On the rise |
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| Go Anna |
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| Mushroom and Tomato |
I now have access to more photos from yesterday as my camera is looking a bit sad with its barrel jutting out and stuck. A cool change came in around 8:30pm last night but today is still very sunny but breezy. (Will help the two loads of washing on the line already.) We took the Colac road to get back as it is all dual highway from there. The route via FoxHow is still much more scenic and no one uses that road between the lakes.
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| Green Hollow |
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| Our Lake from Mt Leura |
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| Bullen Merri beach |
Started the day with the Big Breakfast at the lake edge cafe which is on the same property as our cottage. We got to the Mt Leura reserve about 11:30am and did some some short but hilly circuit walks of these volcanoes with a 30 minute stop at the very bottom of the caldera cone where there is a seat centrally located under a convenient tree. The piccolos went down very well here after all it was 12:15. We had brought some bacon and egg rolls with us from the cafe but saved them until we got to Lake Bullen Merri. This has been shaped into a mega inland beach. Boat ramps at both ends, picnic tables, toilets, barbecues and scenery. The water here was good but we were up to 32° by now. At first we had it to ourselves but a few groups started coming however there is a huge expanse to spread out. We arrived back at the cottage around 4pm and sat under a huge willow tree for 2 hours or so. We barbecued for our tea using our kitchen but I would not recommend the communal barbie area, it is a shocker. Overall a good spot for two nights but the accommodation is ancient.
PS My camera broke during the day. It did fall onto the ground at one point.
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| Hamper |
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| Piccolo hollow |
We have driven to Lake Purrumbete which is an old volcano crater filled with water. We are in a 1950s style house which was moved here by truck some years ago. We stopped for lunch in Geelong at the Ebony and Ivory and made one other stop at the Federation Bridge in Inverleigh. They have a rock outcrop here which goes down to the waters edge. It is deep water and coolish with fishing boats to stir it up. We sat on the deck here until 7:30 pm and very mild it was. Had to step out quickly for the sunset as we are between two lakes here and the shallow one is teeming with bird life with the Sun setting behind it. We had cheese, dip and biscuits without bothering with another large meal after our lunch effort earlier.
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| Below Federation |
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| Laker Purrumbete |
We had ideas of going out for lunch again but overnight we ran the car's battery down. Turns out the auto closing rear door keeps trying to close even if there is an obstruction. My jumper had a sleave sticking out which we didn't notice and the mechanism is so quiet it keeps chomping down until you run out of power. So a quick trip to the Ket bakery got the sourdough loaves and pastries happening for lunch at home. In the meantime with the battery now given a spark by the RACV, we did a Cooks tour of the Bellarine starting at Swan Bay and making our way back from there. This entertaining business can be a challenge.
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| Asher hits the notes |
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| Garden Walk |
Grandma and Grandpa have been allowed out particularly on her 86th birthday. We went out for lunch to the same Brewery Pub in Queenscliff that we went to last week. The meals there are good. They are a better smaller size and taste OK as well. I tracked down a book for her by Mary Durack that was the missing one in a trilogy, so that made a good present. After lunch we took a detour to show the sights of Queenscliff but right now it is afternoon siesta time.
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| One families outback story |
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| I think they were more advertising the beer than taking the picture |
Alistair Maclean is your go to action packed story man especially if you are a teenager, although there are a few of his I have not read and I just made a count of 12 of his titles on my shelf, so I will make it a mission to get some of those I missed. There is no one on the planet who hasn't seen Where Eagles Dare. Geoff Dyer is so impressed with the over the top antics in this film that he has watched it countless times and had to write a book about it as well, with the above title. This is a funny book. We have all done what he has written down. Your watching the film and the good guys never run out of bullets and their guns never jam. You ask yourself how many sticks of dynamite keep coming out of that little back pack. The film grossed millions and they earned every cent.
Its a sleep inducing business this grand daughter stuff, on the go from one end to the other. This morning it was all shopping carts in the hallway then shop keeping in the park. There were slides and swings and the usual but making babycinos seems to be the thing. This afternoon will be beaching if we can get her to sleep while the parents are out lunching.
Step right this way
We have visitors here including three generations being Rhonda, Bianca and Asher (the RBA) sounds like a bank. Asher has had a big day with swimming lessons, the drive here followed by lunch, the beach with afternoon tea and we haven't made it over to the Pub yet. All without a sleep. We are short on toys but did put the Coles shopping trolley together so she has been pushing that around in between everything else.
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| rock hopping |
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| Shopping instruction |
I have been told that the garden is finished! What does that mean? I thought gardens were a bit like the Harbour Bridge. Already there are a batch of succulents that have been growing shoots and in some cases they look like minature originals ready to be planted. Also it seems the strawberries are not liking the hothouse. There has been very moist conditions where the strawbs are rotting with the door closed to the other extreme where they are dry and brittle with the door open. So all eight plants are going into the ground where we can fight off bugs, slugs and birds.
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| Roberts St succulent farm |
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| off shoot |
This is one of those Star Wars type epics spanning light years of space, yet mostly concentrates down onto one city, the capital city of the Empire and the political intrigues within. For the first time I have read a Hugo winner in the same year that it won the Hugo, being 2020, thanks to my birthday present from Daniel & Bianca. This is also the first book written by Arkady Martine and is the start of a series set in this Universe. This writer has gone to a lot of trouble inventing languages to go with the history of the place so you could tell he was only getting started with Book 1 of this story. There is a nod to Game of Thrones in it, as the Emperor here sits on the SunSpear Throne.
We got together with the Klyes, as Melburnians are allowed out and also for a 64th birthday. Opening hours and venues are still tricky but the Brewery in Queenscliff serves a good lunch and there are plenty of hand made beer brews to choose from. The weather turned nasty while we were in there with a proper lightning and thunder type of storm. At one stage I stood up and a waiter said that I cannot stand up without a mask on but it was OK to sit down without the mask on. I hope the virus knows if we are sitting down or standing up. I also had time to fit yesterdays video clips into one sequence.
We had another big day yesterday keeping Asher occupied although she did have a good sleep in the middle of it. During the rest of the time, it was non stop drawing, doll houses and bath time. We did go over to the park as well which happens to house the local Covid testing station. Happy to report there was not a single customer. The pool was tempting but you have to prebook a time slot these days before they will let you in. So I made up for it today with my own beach. No fees, no bookings. The tide was up so the fish are more comfortable in the deeper water of the channel I swim in. I saw one banjo ray, a school of large striped fish and a gliding mega jelly fish. Things always look bigger under water. I will get some video out from the last few days.
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| No one to test |
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| Land of the Setting Sun |
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| babycino |
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| Muscle Time |
One thing about having a hotel all to yourself is that it is so quiet. It was weird walking in, totally dark, no restaurant, no people. Last time we were here 6 months back it was jumping. We slept in until 8:00 am as there was not a sound but the room is also stripped of non essentials like tea and coffee. It seems the gym and pool have opened this morning for the first time in months. We always gave that a try but not today as Asher waits for no one. We have just had a delivery of coffee. Hooray.
