Clunes Book Festival

 We had no idea what this was going to be like. It is a busy town when the Book festival is on.  Driving in, cars were jammed up every street parking at all angles. We parked in the show grounds and walked 1km to the main street. They checked for our tickets, as the street was blocked off at both ends with marquees down the centre of the street. These were interspersed with food vans. Book stalls were everywhere. Overall we did well to only buy 7 books, 3 of which are kids books and one signed by the author.

I think the most amazing stall was the woman who had brought her own library to the festival and was selling it off one by one.  We were there from 11:00am til 5:00pm and that was enough. The comedy happy hour from 3:30 til 4:30 was a bit over our heads. They weren't there to tell jokes but to talk shop about how they think them up and incorporate stuff into writing books.  The thing about this happy hour is, it the only one I have been to without half price drinks. 

old bank

These are comedians - no joke

Water Temperature

 I went across with my snorkel gear but did not use it as the water was quite murky with some floating grass.  A Northerly breeze means a reasonable temperature but stirs up the water.  I did go in for a full immersion just for a bit of a soak and some water jogging, so the water temperature is still doable if I went for the full swim.  The engineers have been down again fixing a hole that was created some months back when the creek over flowed.  Their timing is a bit slow since it has been like that for most of the beach season.  

small mounds of grass 

Book Removal

 We've had some books recently from the Taylors and the Roberts. Some of them I had bought myself from the online secondhand man. I am limiting myself to the set of shelves in here for books and no more space is being allocated. I have gathered another box of 20 books together but handing them on is getting harder. We used to have three OPP shops here that would take books. One has closed and the biggest one tells me they can't take any more books now.  I am traipsing around town with books under my arm and I can't give them away. Good thing my back has improved. The last shop said yes we will take them. I said if they keep the series titles together and sell them as a group it would make more sense. In the end I bought one book off them for coinage.   We are going to the Clunes Booktown Book Festival at the weekend does that mean cheap books?

Cadel Evans is in here but I still have a nother copy of that one.

Back Roads Outing

 Went for a drive along some roads we haven't seen.  A lot of it was industrial but foreshore industrial. We did see all the new works being done to switch the Tassie ferry from Port Melbourne to Geelong. It looks like a new terminal is being built and associated car parking, queue lanes etc.  We continued on to the grounds of Geelong Grammer. Now that is your grand school with a long history. Just looking at the cricket ground and old style grand stand pavilion gives you that idea.  We continued further and went passed the grimy stuff like a burnt out truck and a police crime scene investigation. Not all that scenic. There was also a yacht club a bit further along Hovell's creek.  We had time to get lunch at the Pelican's Landing.

The new owner must be the one in the comfy chair.

Hovell's creek boat club

Parramatta

 I got the video processing going again yesterday. While debbie was driving back thru Geelong, it seems the entire crew of 177 were allowed the freedom of the town after they marched in the parade earlier.  Particularly the 'Joker' Pub where we have had a good lunch previously.  We also got buzzed by the air force with the formation roulettes going passed.  But do you think I could get a camera out in time. Gone in seconds.  We went over to the beach for a wind down drink and ran into Jasper the ball hogging dog. This is a dog that wants to play ball but will not give it up. 

Just soaking not swimming

Don't mention the Possum Pee

 We scheduled a garden tour for the morning before Nana heads back to Melbourne.   Gave a few hints about the redesign of some parts, new plantings etc. All will be revealed. Also how the possum had left us alone for the last few months. Sure enough next morning the Possum territory marking pee trail had been left overnight.  Never mention the war and never mention the possum as it is always  listening.  Most of all the rebuilt areas are finished and we also spied a sixth orchid spike, three of them from the same pot.  We are going to have to be careful with bin movements and clothes hanging on windy days.

The Plant Lady is thriving now that she has her own watering system

Possum Pee trail

Late Beach

 We left Nana to sleep it off after her adventures visiting Auntie marie.  One thing I recommend is not to start off talking ailments.  The Sun was out so we wandered over to the beach about 3:00pm and came back at 4:30pm as we need time to get the lasagne going.  It was tempting to stay longer even though the temp was just 18° but very calm with no breeze.  We arrived at low tide so there was no water where I usually swim.  I have still got a dodgy back but sitting was ok.  

afternoon tea

calm as you like

Warship

 HMAS Parramatta casually went passed our front door yesterday. I am expecting big things when the Navy pier across the way, has finished its upgrade. They have been going at it for two years now, pile driving here, constructing there.  It seems a bit friendly to advertise where your war ships are by looking up the marine traffic app on your phone. Oh sure enough, there it is, exact latitude and longitude. We are obviously not expecting a surprise attack.  We think the ship has gone to Geelong for an ANZAC day celebration.

A newish ship built in Williamstown and commissioned in 2003. It's a torpedo and missile launcher.

Claribeaux

 The Curlewis Golf Club has been completely rebuilt. There is a family that is seemingly rebuilding the entire Bellarine Peninsula as the list of venues grows and grows like, The Range, Jack Rabbit and Flying Brick.  At Curlewis there is now 30 or 40 boxy apartments that you can stay in as well. I guess golfers will like them.  Inside, the restaurant is now of the French style. We tried it last night with our neighbour Jill.  It's not that Frenchy. I got a steak and they named the chips as Frites. Mind you it was a good steak and I recommend the food there as being a good place to eat out.

So if the Club Room is the 19th hole then these must be the 20th hole

Post Easter Beach Checkup

 My back is a bit off at the moment but nothing like a beach walk to get the movement going again.  The weather has been rainy since Easter but today is very calm, even calm enough for the swim, except for this back business.  The inevitable pieces of silver foil were around but only three of them.  The usual 30 cigga butts were picked up but that often mounts up becuase right next to where a smoker had his towel there are a neat pile of 5 or 6 butts.  The biggest item was one of those decor drink cannisters which still had some coffee in it.  Other stuff included some rope, a few bottle tops, lots of small plastic bits and a sheath cover for a spear gun blade. I guess that was at the pointy end of the finds.

Crowning Glory

Chemical Temples

Not beach decor

Orchid Spikes

We have spikes here, five of them, from the line of pots along the water tank which have originally descended from the single pot at Vine St Moonee Ponds. The other set of pots near the courtyard door blooms a bit later. These are your more native orchids. As for the original Vine St orchid lot, five spikes is a good number, in four different pots. The last two are hard to spot and I don't actually see any flowers as yet,so maybe a tad premature.  Now we have to make sure nothing from the clothes line flicks at the petals.

Over My Dead Body

I am trying to find the right description of Jeffrey Archer's style.  Boring is probably unfair, perhaps straight forward or maybe clichéd.  The bad guys seem to fall neatly into the trap every time and the good guys never get a scratch.  I have another seven of these books and I think I will pass them all on as the next person's opportunity.  Even with titles like 'Best Kept Secret' or 'Only Time Will Tell' , there must be some other title words he can think of, perhaps 'Don't judge a book by its cover'. HaHa.  I just looked it up. There are at least six books with that title being sold on the internet. OK Jeffrey I take it back you're not the only one who doesn't have a catchy book name.

I would change this title to 'The Art of Stealing Art'. I can't find that title in use anywhere else.

Another pain in the bum

 The doc has been at it again with the Icy Ray Gun. He says I will need to be repeatedly shot with it til the problem goes away. For good measure he has singled out a couple of other spots, one on the face and one on the arm, for the twice daily cream treatment. This is the stuff (efudix) that slowly takes your skin layer by layer while the problem spot is also being worn down.  The rain has soaked us in today so I have reset the slide digitator (new word) and got out the rotary cannisters for another go at digital slide conversion. Everything gets put away when one year olds start to go on the prowl. At one stage Estelle was climbing the stairs so fast you had to take them two at a time to keep up.  She has not figured out the coming down part.

Such a small problem

All Aboard Easter Train

 There were two queues for the Easter train, one for the Big Bunny activites on board and the other just for the ride.  We had already paid so got our tickets to ride from the windowed office, not that it mattered as there was no conductor checking anything. Also the carriages were divided into individual cabins one of which we got all to ourselves, with plenty of room to stretch out.  We only went as far as the first stop with the engine reversing to the other end. So both ways we were pulled but with the engine facing backwards for the return.  Estelle was very happy with the ride but it helps to have a corncob in one hand for gnawing on. The very first whistle blast gave her a start but that soon disappeared with the wind in her hair.

Victorian Seating

Chugga Chugga

Train Hair

What's Up?

Estelle Beach Babe

 I am a day behind with the videos as usual. I have one here of Estelle doing some beaching. The Easter Bunny has called in overnight, however Estelle has not yet had her first taste of chocolate. Her normal breakfast took precendence and she is now having the first sleep period of the day.  We did get Asher and Evie on a video chat callup and Asher was busily feeding Evie her first chocolate tasting. And when Evie went to grab some more Asher was not so convinced she should be giving this stuff away.  It is another big day today as we are getting aboard the special Easter Bunny train from Queenscliff at High Noon.

Estelle takes the Trolley

 Yes a 27° day today in the middle of Easter demands a trip to the beach - twice.  Estelle hopped on board the beach trolley express both times all the way down and all the way up. She is getting more confident with the water each time as well as the usual eating of sand and splashing around as long as it is not too far from Mum & Dad.  So there was one beach session before lunch and another beach session in the late afternoon.  It has been yet another ideal calm day and we made the most of it.  Estelle eats five times a day so getting the timing right is tricky.

morning session

not much of an egg hunt

lunch session

afternoon session

beach walk

Loaves no Fishes

 Debbie had planned to have a swag of fish tails for dinner, being easter Friday. About 30mins before the Taylors arrived she opened the packet and there were no fish tails.  The prawns were there and the snapper was there.  So it was swing into alternate fish mode in a hurry, get a lemon off the tree, some Dill from the garden, get it into a pan and no one will know the difference. Except James and Heidi will be having steak tonight not fish.  The deck drinks were good on yet another mild evening watching the Sun set. As usual we have discussed the world's problems and having solved them all went to bed.

Aldi champers not bad

The view out

PS  themed joke of the day

Jesus and all the apostles went into a bar. Jesus says to the barman  '13 waters please'. Straight away there is a racket starting up from the apostles. 'Not again boss', grumble grumble etc.  He looks across and gives them a sly wink. 

Olive Final Tally

 The Taylors are coming this afternoon for some Easter cheer.  Anna is a keen Olivant (new word), so I spent two hours in the tree this morning and have plucked everything off that is viable given the previous articles where I detailed the shotberry problem. There are still lots of those tiny dots on the tree and quite a few half sized olives but I have ignored those as well.  The total harvest this time around is almost 6 Kilos not quite a bucket full. Previously I have filled the bucket three times for over 20kgs.  The ground is littered with dotberries and shotberries. The new garden bed is not helping the olive harvest but I managed to get a ladder in position with all four feet well grounded, as we know what happens when the ladder is not in position.  Speaking of wells there is also one of those in the centre of the bed with a huge fountain pot right there.  These olives better taste good.

art work garden beds

Fishing Adventures

 Went for another slow down walk and then a sit down for the Sun down while we waited for something to happen. It wasn't long before a gull brought a ball to us as we were sitting there. It pecked at it for a while then we just had to take a closer look.  It was a fish that had bloated itself into an over sized balloon so that it could not be swallowed. We rolled it over for a better look and then it burst with water shooting in a spurt. But it was still ok and started to puff up again but not as big. Debbie flicked it into the water where it recovered a bit and then started swimming off.  So we got back to our towels and the bird swooped back and plucked it out of the water again.  This time it flew off with three other gulls fighting over it.  Now where were we, are waiting for the Sunset.

Gull a ball

Bloater not Floater

ready

flick

Lazarus

Eventually we got to the Sunset

Garden Update No 1110

 Attention has moved onto the three large pots at the point of the tiled patio out front. These had a few older original plants that were getting a bit tired. We really could do with two of those extra large green bins not just one.  Finding somewhere to put it is another problem.  You can't just have plants there is also the decorative and much smaller pebbles (more like gravel)  that deterrs the minor birds from digging in. After the gardening urge was satisfied and also the PB meetings taken care of we wandered across to the beach just for a late afternoon drink. It was calm enough but only 19° and when a few clouds drifted across we were out of there. 

Another stairway to the Sunset

Potpourri

Neighbourhood Walk

 You see it all here.  A lady from up the street named Dawn was walking passed with our immediate neighbour Bob. She had her dog leash in one hand and a stiff as board DEAD possum in the other. She was waving it around like a toilet brush. No wonder elderly Bob was keeping his distance.  She was talking about the dead things she has seen recently that she was tidying up on her walk. We did not mention putting ratsak out the back because the rats were getting our tomatoes.  Mind you that worked well because Bob brought a dead rat to our front door the other day to proove our poison worked.  (Did he have to do that?).  Changing topic. I went for the swim again this morning in good conditions, very clear and calm. Saw lots of marine action including dolphins. It is dolphin season and this week they have been a fair way out but today were close in.  There was a lady there from Ireland who swam each day of the year back in the old country. She reckons swimming here is like a cup of tea in a bathtub.  She has only just moved here.

If you throw a possum will a dog go fetch it?

Hanimex Cannisters

 In the box of slides there are three of the horizontal loading slide magazines each containing 36 slides. I have run the slides from all three of these thru the digital converter. They have no order about them but cover a time in the early 80s including my own wedding. There are also QLD weddings and some Sydney photos perhaps on the way or returning on the drive back.  There is also a drive to Western Victoria to my cousin Linda's farm which includes a light plane flight around the area.

Country Willaura

Old Sydney Town - Leanne on the Stocks

Who's arriving?

QLD Wedding - Ladies getting ready