Category Archives: Days Out

Creating and Crafty

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We have been away for a few days at the beach with our guests. The weather was not great – cool and rainy. Unfortunately, you cannot plan on good weather but we had a relaxing time and a change of scenery.

Yesterday evening I was inspired to create a Christmas table centrepiece using a hard plastic cone which had contained Ferrero Rocher chocolates. I did not buy them but it had been brought by a guest at a function we hosted a couple of weeks ago and it seemed too good to throw out. I filled it with a few baubles and Christmas decorations. Then I reattached the base with sticky tape and added some gold ribbon trim before placing it on a stand made from part of the insert which held the chocolates.

It has been hot today so I have stayed indoors and done some sewing. I made these bags from some fabric gifted from a friend.

Then I finished refashioning the sundress for Miss14. I cut a small amount from the hem to create straps to tie over the shoulders. These replace the rather flimsy adjustable shoestring straps that were on it originally. She is happy with the result.

A few other alterations for Miss16. I shortened a newish pair of cargo pants which were just a bit too long and dragging on the ground as well as turning a pair of older black leggings with holes in the lower leg into a functional pair of bike shorts. These are always in high demand in their household for wearing under netball uniforms.

Finally, I am working on some minor alterations to this dress. It is for Miss16 and we found it in an op shop while we were away. She is notoriously fussy and difficult to please but fell in love with this one. I have unpicked the side seams of the bodice to take it in slightly under the arms. I also intend to redo the hem so that it has an overall better finish. I think it was $7.50 well spent as she is planning to wear it to her semi-formal in the middle of next year.

Four Days of Fun

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It is now 4 days since our granddaughters arrived from Queensland. They are here for 10 days and we are trying to find a balance of interesting things to do with a 16 year old and 14 year old.

After we picked them up at the airport we found a spot for a picnic lunch before we headed home.

A spot of mulberry picking rounded out the day.

On Tuesday we headed to Bendigo to buy a birthday gift for Miss 16 as well as a couple of other errands.

Yesterday we went to nearby Lake Cairn Curran for a BBQ picnic lunch, paddle in the water and a walk with the dog.

Here is a view I captured while waiting for lunch.

Finally, we picked up this DVD from Castlemaine Library before the girls headed to the local pool for a swim. We watched ‘Picnic at Hanging Rock’ in preparation for our outing today. It was interesting to note that some of the scenes were filmed in a town where we used to live, although the film was made long before we moved there.

Our first view of the rock.

Almost at the top.

A view of the surrounding country.

A quick op shop stop on the way home and Miss 14 found this pair of denim shorts for $4. A sundress completed her haul for the day.

Tonight we watched ‘Looking For Alibrandi’ on SBS On Demand and they both enjoyed this movie. We have plenty more adventures planned so most of the regular chores have been put on hold while we enjoy spending time with this special pair of teenagers.

For a Cause

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There are many very worthwhile causes and charities and I expect many of us have our particular favourites which are close to our heart. There are equally as many ways to support them.

Frocktober is a month-long fundraising campaign for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation. Ovarian cancer is a particularly lethal gynaecological cancer for which there is no screening test. It is often only diagnosed in the late stages and has an extremely poor survival rate.

So, when a friend invited me to a Frocktober High Tea, I did not hesitate.

As well as raising fund for much needed research we enjoyed a fabulous spread of beautiful home-made delights and a fun afternoon of conversation with a group of about 40 local women.

Thanks to everyone who made the afternoon a success.

For the past few days I have been debating about my choice of frock as the weather has been extremely variable – it is spring in Victoria, after all. I finally opted for this bias cut sleeveless cotton frock with a lightweight cardigan. It is difficult to go wrong with classic black and white spots. This was its first outing as I had bought it about 3 weeks ago in a local op shop for $8. The frock is super comfortable and easy to wear and I am sure I will have plenty more opportunities to wear it as the weather warms up.

If you would like to support the work of the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation, you can donate here.

Slant & Schooldays

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We have had done all manner of things since my last post. When we made a trip to Melbourne to deliver the refuurbished step stool we also helped our daughter install some new blinds in her unit.

I have also replenished our freezer stock of soup with 12 serves of leek and potato soup and 11 serves of pumpkin soup. It is great to have a supply of hearty, ready-to-eat meals.

Socialising has not been forgotten either. We met GMan’s cousin and husband for lunch one day, went to a local bar last night to hear a local band and today we watched a movie at the Theatre Royal in Castlemaine. It was not just any movie but an independent Australian film called ‘Slant’ starring Sigrid Thornton.

I must admit that I had not heard of Slant until a few weeks ago when we received the July programme for the Theatre Royal as we are members. You can read a bit more about the theatre here. As well as the prospect of supporting a local independent film it was exciting to read that the event included a Q & A session with some of the cast and crew, including Sigrid Thornton.

The film is described as ‘darkly comic’ which is quite apt. It was quirky, fast-paced, interesting and definitely had its humorous moments. To say anymore would be to give too much away. Please consider going if you have an opportunity to see ‘Slant’ and support independent creative locals.

The icing on the cake was the opportunity to chat with Sigrid Thornton after the event. It is 53 years since we were in the same class at primary school in Brisbane and I am so pleased that I made the effort to introduce myself. She was thoroughly delightful and seemed genuinely pleased to meet me.

Thank goodness for a phone camera to record the moment.

More Bargains

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We have been rather occupied with our guests for the past five days so no time for blog posts.

Yesterday I took my granddaughters to Bendigo. I bought more fruit and vegetables, we enjoyed the Australian Women’s Weekly exhibition at the art gallery and we found time to check out a couple of op shops.

I found a summer dress for Liv – no mean feat as she is 15 and liable to change her mind at a moment’s notice. Also, a warm fleecy black top for Izz as well as a skirt, long sleeve knit top and scarf for myself.

However, the standout purchases were a pair of shoes and a chair.

These shoes caught my eye but did not appear to have any size, brand or country of origin markings. In fact, I think they may be handmade. I tried them on and they fitted perfectly. They have barely been worn and were priced at $8. Lucky me!

I actually saw the chair outside the shop as we approached the door. You may remember that I bought a dining setting with 4 chairs from Marketplace some weeks ago. You can read about it here. I was prepared to have one or two extra chairs and was not too worried about whether they were an exact match. I figured that this one would be suitable so I handed over $5 and it was mine.

I brought it home and here is the recent purchase (on the left) beside one of the existing set. Can you pick the difference? The whole chair is marginally (about 1cm) lower, the curve at the top is not quite as pronounced and the top of the sides are rounded rather than flat.

I am absolutely chuffed with my finds.

Somewhat Sociable

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I know that my posts for the past 5 weeks have mostly about getting things organised in our new home but recently we have managed our share of being out and about, too. So much so, that 5 days have managed to slip by since my last post.

A couple of weeks ago we joined the Theatre Royal in Castlemaine. Apparently this makes us ‘loyal royal’ supporters and as such we are eligible for discounted movie tickets. We took advantage of this on Tuesday evening when we went to see Allelujah starring Jennifer Saunders and Judi Dench. There are a good mix of new releases and arthouse films and we are looking forward to seeing more.

When we were given our membership tickets we also received a teatowel each. Whilst it might seem strange, I actually appreciated the fact that it was a practical freebie that was not just plastic junk.

It was a bit of a movie week as we also joined the local film society with the rather clever moniker of ‘Maldon Golden Movies’. There is a screening once a month which is a selection of recent and classic films. On Thursday we saw ‘Black Narcissus’, a 1947 film starring Deborah Kerr.

Movies were not the only outings. On Sunday afternoon we went to a small bar which hosts live music from some of the very talented locals. We met some other residents and ended up going to dinner with a group of them afterwards.

We are heading out this evening to the same venue for some more musical adventures.

Next week sees the beginning of a 2 week festival ‘Maldon in Winter‘ which has a wide variety of events with something for everyone. We are busily deciding which events we would like to attend.

For a relatively small town, Maldon has plenty to offer for locals and visitors alike.

A New Adventure

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Some weeks ago I discovered that the Bendigo Writers’ Festival was on this weekend over 3 days. We perused the interesting line-up of speakers and found it difficult to choose from the wide-ranging and extensive offerings. There were single and 3 day passes also available but in the end we settled on going to 3 sessions – 2 today and another tomorrow afternoon.

Today we attended 2 sessions. The first one was a lively discussion between the three panellists and moderator on the topic, ‘The Culture of Politics’. After a quick bite to eat we moved on to a nearby venue where another panel discussed the role of the independents in contemporary Australian democracy.

The final session we have chosen is titled ‘Heart to Heart’ with Tom Keneally and Barry Jones. These men are aged 87 and 90 respectively. While tomorrow is not guaranteed to any of us, they are certainly not going to be around forever so I felt this opportunity was too good to pass up.

I feel really fortunate that the timing of our relocation afforded us the opportunity to attend the Festival and we are definitely considering a multi-day pass next year.

Pandemic Picnic

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Today we had a picnic. The occasion was meeting up with several of my Year 8 cohort from high school. 2021 marks 50 years since we began high school. 10 of us shared fun, laughter and crazy memories.

This event started me thinking that picnics seem to have become our default method of socialising. Even though our area has been mostly spared from Covid 19 cases, more and more of us appear to be enjoying the great outdoors for social occasions.

One of my cousins contacted me yesterday and suggested a get together with several of my extended family – a possible picnic! Most definitely count me in.

A picnic naturally means food. Do you have any favourite picnic fare? Picnics come in as many guises as participants. It is not all stereotypical rattan picnic hampers with red and white checked cloths.

Your set-up can be as simple or elaborate as you wish. In fact, one of the guests today brought a wedge of cheese, a baguette, knife and wooden chopping board in a backpack. This was happily shared with others in the group.

I would love to hear your thoughts on picnics and other socialising. Has the pandemic changed your outlook?