Tassie 1

As some of you know, Mrs History (aka Southern Belle) and I were invited to Tasmania as guests of the Bellerive Historical Society to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the society we started back in 1990.  We rendezvoused at Tullamarine at 8am and had a leisurely brainstorm and bubbly till our noon flight.  Some of you also know that Mrs History and I are The Arbiters of Taste when it comes to things Bellerive so we decided being 'humbled', as everyone is these days, was soooo 20th Century, and we are very PROUD of our achievement.  We dined with the current President (of the Society) that night at the Shoreline and he plied us with books that he has published on behalf of the Society, and bubbly.  So we were VERY HAPPY.  We were staying at the Shoreline so it didn't matter.

 The view from my room - taken mainly to show Steve the nesting plovers..

The next day our official duties began.  We made brief speeches at the launch of the Society's latest book held at the Rosny Barn and then to lunch at The Waterfront Hotel, formerly known as The Clarence Hotel, for a fabulous feed of fish.  After these arduous duties we had a little time to explore and re-acquaint.  We had been loaned a car, so parked at the Second Bluff and walked around to Bellerive Beach.

 It was getting darkish and all the dog walkers were out.  Jill got a little tired of greeting dogs.
Of course, 01 Queen Street was very high on the list.  This used to be our house but is now part of The Cottage School - a fate we had always wished for it.  Standby, George.

Our former back garden.  They have kept the apple tree by the back gate!

and added to my silver birch copse.

And note the underneath.

Now Jill and I aren't ones to do things quietly

so the neighbours were alerted.  As was the school cleaner / chairperson who invited us all inside.

This is our kitchen somewhat extended.  And here's that beautiful downstairs learning space.

I love what they've done with our house - and I'd love to live in it again one day as it is now.  Touchingly, they have kept the window-seat in the Margaret Preston Room (for the cognoscenti) and the tulip fretwork in the hallway - even though the cleaner says it's a bugger to dust.  And George, your ironwork plant hanger is still out the front.